

Twenty years into their career, having had to repair themselves after various personal crises, Depeche Mode have no right to sound this fresh and vital. However, Björk producer Mark Bell has encouraged them to experiment while maintaining their instinct for indelible hooks. Whether they’re pairing distorted beats with acoustic guitar loops (“Dream On”), stomping out sci-fi disco (“I Feel Loved”), or unfolding a lulling ballad (“When the Body Sleeps”), Exciter is an exquisite balance of unpredictability and warmth.