Sounds of the Universe

Pitchfork 6.3/10 The days of Zeitgeist-shifting Depeche Mode awesomeness may likely be behind them, but that doesn't make their new LP less worthy of the band's legacy.

A.V. Club A- Even in 2009, Depeche Mode’s members are masters of electronic pop, crafting an inimitable sonic atmosphere that almost never sounds dated.

The Line of Best Fit 7/10 Sounds of the Universe is a worthy addition to their catalogue, holding its own with the zenith of their popularity.

NME 3.5/5 They don’t always get the balance right between new and old, but this suggests an exciting old age.

Evening Standard 3/5 Their twelfth album contains 13 slabs of heaving, stentorian electropop brimming with throbbing adult angst, ranging from the gargantuan opener, In Chains, to the fine ballad Little Soul. So while there's nothing new, they're still an unstoppable force of nature. Good.

Rolling Stone 2.5/5 Depeche Mode should be poised for a comeback, but it’s too soon to unpack those black turtlenecks.

All Music 3.5/5 Depeche Mode are still able to combine pop-hook accessibility and their own take on "roots" music for an electronic age with sonic experimentation and recombination -- not bad for a band with almost three decades under its collective belt.

The Skinny 3/5 With bands like The Killers having colonised the alternative dancefloor, this album should see the old guns reclaiming some lost territory.

Mojo 4/5 A smoother, more elegant sibling to Playing The Angel.

The Observer 3/5 They might be no longer going through the motions, but those moves seem awfully familiar.

Slant 3/5 They might not be affecting musical culture the way they did in their prime, but at least half of their latest effort is as strong as anything they’ve written.

Pop Matters 5/10 What we’ve got here is a record that, despite its handful of peaks and songwriting that’s capable at worst, registers in fairly neutral territory, a record that’s going to be mostly defined by how you feel about the words “Depeche” and “Mode”.

The Guardian 3/5 A less then stellar return, then, but a welcome one nevertheless.

The Telegraph 5/5 Depeche Mode's Sounds Of The Universe combines bleeping synths, distorted guitars and crunchy percussion for a punchy, electrorock blaster.

Hot Press 8.0/10 On Sounds of the Universe, the veteran outfit sound thoroughly re-energised.