Depeche Mode has survived an awful lot: heroin addiction, suicide attempts, members quitting, the '80s, and more. Through it all they've somehow evolved into elder statesmen of sorts, maturing with each new release and always moving towards a more polished, adult sound. Exciter, the band's tenth studio album, seems almost like an amalgamation of all of its '90s incarnations. The techno thump of "I Feel Loved" recalls the electro-pop of Violator; the goth guitar vamp "The Dead Of Night" represents the rock of Songs Of Faith And Devotion; and the sparse, delicate "When The Body Speaks" is directly descended from the slow, symphonic songs of Ultra. Luckily, none of Exciter feels like a rehash, thanks to the contributions of Björk producer Mark Bell, who updates Martin Gore's always-excellent songwriting with his signature percolating beats and synth squelches. The band is in good form as well: Dave Gahan's voice, which sounded a bit unsure on Ultra, is now as confident as ever, and Gore's guitar playing blends with DM's electronics in a way it hasn't since Violator. While the album does occasionally lose the plot (the atonal "Comatose," the Lite FM-ready "I Am You"), it's for the most part a fitting testament to a band's ability to age gracefully.

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