Delta Machine

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine
Critic Score
Based on 35 reviews
2013 Ratings: #767 / 1115
User Score
Based on 272 ratings
2013 Rank: #454
Liked by 21 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

90
musicOMH

In what has always been a frighteningly consistent career, Delta Machine stands there amongst the band’s finest work.

80
DIY

It’s clear Depeche Mode have come back with a drive, focus and determination, to raise a bar they set over two decades earlier.

70
Consequence of Sound

If the synths, keyboards, and guitars don’t convince you, look to those unmistakable vocals from Gahan and Gore, showing in song after song that they still give a shit after all these years.

70
PopMatters

A fairly solid Depeche Mode LP with an air of finality about it.

70
FACT Magazine

It’s not a huge stride in a new direction, but its incorporation of new sounds into the established blueprint sounds like a band both mature and renewed.

70
The 405

They're not trying to recapture past glories - some would say that the band still being together in some form after 33 years is a miracle in itself - and to their credit, they're still pushing forward.

67
A.V. Club

Unlike much of Depeche Mode’s recent output, these songs sound like they have purpose and direction.

60
No Ripcord

Despite many good songs on this album, you will definitely get a sense that Depeche Mode is in a holding pattern.

60
AllMusic

Delta Machine, the band's 13th album, feeds off this negative energy and winds like a snake the whole time, slithering through a well-written and lusciously recorded set of serpentine siren songs.

55
Under the Radar

Whenever his voice fails to maintain their illusion of flawlessness, whole songs tend to crumble down around it; suddenly, the lyrics seem silly and obtuse, the melodies flat, the music too sterile.

50
Drowned in Sound

They’re so enamoured with their own sonic aesthetic that they’re over-reliant on familiar synth textures and patterns to engender their own well worn notion of atmosphere, and often at the expense of melody leaving a blank space where there should be moody synth-pop songs. 

50
NME

Where this album tries for a harder, more adventurous sound, they’re still stuck with one leg in leather trousers.

50
Pitchfork

There is not a single moment of shock or freshness on Delta Machine, and it's enormously frustrating to hear what was once a band of futurists so deeply mired in resisting change.

34
Paste

Delta Machine is not an album for diehards, and I’m hard-pressed to imagine it being for any human being. 

Notorious_Man
80

Their most underrated album by far. It goes for a very minimalistic and at times a harsh sound, which they pull of surprisingly well. I don’t get why this album got mixed reception, but it’s my favorite album they’ve released since 1993’s Songs of Faith and Devotion.

Best Tracks: Welcome To My World; Heaven; Secret To The End; My Little Universe; Broken; Should Be Higher

Worst Tracks: The Child Inside; Soft Touch / Raw Nerve

Doofy
40

'Delta Machine' is the band's most consistent, but consistently flat in terms of quality, release ever - there are no peaks of interest or excitement...but also no dips in quality either.

The whole thing is 'just listenable' from start to finish - and it's hard to think of anything more dispiriting than that.

It just misses the title of 'worst Depeche Mode' album thanks to the existence of its predecessor 'Sounds of the Universe', though it could be saddled with the title of 'least ... read more

MarkAnMan
65

Despite its title, there's not a lot of change (Δ) on the 13th album of the electronic godfathers.

But why's that a wrong thing, when I praised their previous album for revisiting virtually all of their past sounds and styles without adding something really new to the mix? Well, the difference between Sounds of the Universe and Delta Machine is that Universe finds the band in their most inspired state since the early '90's, delivering lots of tracks that have nothing to envy their most ... read more

rzbig
45

"When you're falling, I will catch you, you don't have to fall that far"
There's little driving force behind this album. The songs, while boasting a strong vocal performance, have very underwhelming textures. And some of the lyrics are just straight up stupid.
+ Broken, Should Be Higher, Alone
- The Child Inside, My Little Universe

jakubvod
75

Guilty pleasure DM album.

Favs: Welcome to My World, Secret to the End, Broken, Should Be Higher

AidenBowe45
65

Despite the title hinting at change, the 13th album maintains a consistent electronic vibe, echoing the band's previous styles. Comparing it to their earlier work, like "Sounds of the Universe," where inspiration flowed freely, this album appears less inspired. The opening track "Welcome to My World" sets a tone of anticipation, but the build-up doesn't lead to a satisfying chorus. Even the lead single "Heaven" lacks the expected energy, falling short of the ... read more

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Track List

1Welcome to My World
4:55
87
2Angel
3:57
79
3Heaven
4:05
87
4Secret to the End
5:12
80
5My Little Universe
4:24
70
6Slow
3:45
69
7Broken
3:58
86
8The Child Inside
4:16
75
9Soft Touch / Raw Nerve
3:27
76
10Should Be Higher
5:04
87
11Alone
4:29
81
12Soothe My Soul
5:22
85
13Goodbye
5:04
77
14Long Time Lie
4:22
73
15Happens All the Time
4:20
77
16Always
5:07
67
17All That's Mine
3:24
78
Total Length: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Year End Lists

#39/Amazon
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Added on: January 24, 2013