Day 4: The Ice Machine on the Cake

Day four of the  30-day Depeche Mode challenge – Your favorite song from the Speak & Spell era

It wouldn’t be much of a challenge (or interesting) if I had a bunch of repeat songs, so I’m make sure to keep away from duplicates. From camp to creep, I love just about every part of Speak & Spell, and as one of my first purchased albums, it holds special place in my heart. However, there are a few tracks (including B-sides) that stand out, and foreshadow the darker sounds DM would come to embrace. For today, I’m going with “Ice Machine,” and it has nothing to do with the abnormally cold winter I’m currently experiencing. The entrancing rhythm sucks me in, as if entering into an endless waltz. It’s actually rather dark compared to Vince’s other offerings at the time. A foundation of deep synth sounds layered with urgent high notes mix well, creating complex layers that work together like a delicious cake – each enhancing the flavor of the final composition.