What's quite astonishing about 2009's Sounds of the Universe is how Depeche Mode have returned to the equipment and textures of their early-'80s work in particular while reworking it to match both Dave Gahan and Martin Gore's current lyrical and songwriting techniques. Sounds of the Universe is a grower, relying on a few listens to fully take effect, but when it does, it shows 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. ~ Ned Raggett