08 September 2022
Newsdesk
Depeche Mode’s 12" vinyl singles project continues with the release of Playing The Angel | The 12" Singles on 11 November 2022.
Playing The Angel | The 12" Singles, a collector's edition deluxe box set, contains ten 12" vinyl discs presenting singles--Precious, A Pain That I'm Used To, Suffer Well, and John The Revelator/Lilian--alongside B-sides, remixes, instrumentals, dub versions and other recordings contemporaneous to Depeche Mode's 11th studio album, Playing The Angel, originally released in October 2005.
Playing The Angel | The 12" Singles presents electrifying remixes of Depeche Mode originals including a disc devoted to "The Darkest Star," the track from which Playing The Angel derives its title. The tenth disc in the box is newly compiled for this collection, bringing together B-sides and mixes first released across CD and maxi-singles throughout the Playing The Angel campaign.
The first Depeche Mode album to be produced with Ben Hillier, Playing The Angel found the classic DM lineup (Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andrew Fletcher), 25 years into the band's history, breaking open new sonic terrain with a raw, grittier sound bridging the cosmic spiritual connection between the primal roots of rock and throbbing 21st century Techno dance-floors around the world. The Playing The Angel campaign continued Depeche Mode's tradition of issuing monumental 12" singles to supplement and complement their album releases. Playing The Angel premiered essential new additions to the DM canon including "Precious," "A Pain That I'm Used To," Suffer Well," "John The Revelator," "Lilian," "The Darkest Star" and more.
From their earliest days as a band, Depeche Mode have championed 12" vinyl, embracing the format's singular power and potential for innovation. The 12" single allowed the band to explore new sonic possibilities while the tactile real-world beauty of physical packaging gave Depeche Mode room to develop their consistently sophisticated and commanding design aesthetic. Depeche Mode have used their singles discography as a means of offering fans the opportunity to enjoy left field remixes, rare B-sides, standout concert performances and other exclusive delights.
