Pitchfork

It's been a minute since we heard from Depeche Mode, but the long-running synthpop institution is finally done with a new album, Sounds of the Universe. Mute will release the album on April 20 in Europe and will team with Capitol to release it on April 21 in the U.S.

According to a press release, the band recorded the LP in Santa Barbara and New York using tons of vintage synthesizers and drum machines, which is a good sign considering that the last fifteen years or so of Depeche albums have brought them a bit too close to broody schmaltz-rock. Ben Hillier, the Britrock maestro who produced their last album, 2005's kinda meh Playing the Angel, will be on board again, which is not such a good sign. "Wrong" will be the first single; other album tracks include "Jezebel", "In Chains", and "Hole to Feed".

In other Depeche news, they're planning a massive tour that will span the summer and take them all over Europe.

Dates:

05-10 Tel Aviv, Israel - Ramat Gan Stadium
05-12 Athens, Greece - Terra Vibe Park
05-14 Istanbul, Turkey - Santral
05-16 Bucharest, Romania - Parc Izvor
05-18 Sofia, Bulgaria - Vasil Levski Stadium (Tuborg Greenfest)
05-20 Belgrade, Serbia - Usce Park (Tuborg Greenfest)
05-21 Zagreb, Croatia - Arena (Tuborg Greenfest)
05-23 Warsaw, Poland - Gwardia Stadium
05-25 Riga, Latvia - Skonto Stadium
05-27 Vilnius, Lithuania - Zalgirio Stadium
05-29 London, England - 02 Arena
05-31 Landgraaf, Netherlands - Pinkpop Festival
06-02 Hamburg, Germany - HSH Nordbank Arena
06-04 Dusseldorf, Germany - LTU Arena
06-05 Dusseldorf, Germany - LTU Arena
06-07 Leipzig, Germany - Zentralstadion
06-08 Leipzig, Germany - Zentralstadion
06-10 Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion
06-12 Frankfurt, Germany - Commerzbank Arena
06-13 Munich, Germany - Olympiastadion
06-16 Rome, Italy - Stadio Olimpico
06-18 Milan, Italy - Stadio San Siro
06-20 Werchter, Belgium - TW Classic Festival
06-22 Bratislava, Slovakia - Inter Stadium
06-23 Budapest, Hungary - Puskas Ferenc Stadium
06-25 Prague, Czech Republic - Slavia Stadium
06-27 Paris, France - Stade de France
06-28 Nancy, France - Zenith Amphitheatre
06-30 Copenhagen, Denmark - Parken Stadium
07-02 Bergen, Norway - Bergenhus Festning
07-03 Arvika, Sweden - Arvika Festival
07-08 Valladolid, Spain - Jose Zorilla Stadium
07-09 Bilbao, Spain - Bilbao BBK Live Festival
07-11 Porto, Portugal - Super Bock Super Rock Festival
07-12 Sevilla, Spain - Olimpic Stadium