And just like that, Depeche Mode have become the greatest synth-pop duo in the world. The pioneering electronic music band held a press conference today (October 4) to announce their 15th studio album, Memento Mori, as well as plans for a world tour. Dave Gahan and Martin Gore held a court in Berlin to relay the news, as well as address the sudden death of founding member Andy Fletcher.
According to NME, Gore says the title of the record was in place prior to Fletcher’s unexpected passing in May. “Memento Mori” is defined as an artistic or symbolic trope acting as a reminder of the inevitability of death.
“It sounds very morbid, but I think you can look at it very positively as well,” Gore says. “In that live each day to the max. I think that’s how we like to interpret it too… After Fletch’s passing, we decided to continue as we’re sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning.”
Set to arrive in Spring 2023, Memento Mori is the follow-up to 2017’s Spirit, and while material began taking shape “a couple of years back,” according to Gahan, he and Gore reunited in the studio this past summer to record in Santa Barbara, California. The record is produced by James Ford.
With news of the album comes news of a world tour, and the run includes 10 North American dates, including an April 14 show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Pre-sale for the stateside shows open this week; get all the info here, and scan all the dates below.
