Depeche Mode sample sources: Difference between revisions
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|ssource2='''N.W.A. - 'Fuck tha Police'''' - 1988 | |ssource2='''N.W.A. - 'Fuck tha Police'''' - 1988 | ||
|sstatus2=Confirmed | |sstatus2=Confirmed | ||
|snotes2=The famous scratch effect in the intro of 'Fuck tha Police' by N.W.A. is sampled and played sparingly throughout the [[:Category:1994 Exotic Tour|Exotic tour]] version of 'I Want You Now' layered with the scratch sample from '[[Get Right With Me]]'. Notably, it is also used to similar effect in the hip hop-esque interpretation of 'Fly On The Windscreen' which was performed on the [[:Category:1993 Devotional Tour|Devotional tour]]. | |snotes2=The famous scratch effect in the intro of 'Fuck tha Police' by N.W.A. is sampled and played sparingly throughout the 1994 [[:Category:1994 Exotic Tour|Exotic tour]] version of 'I Want You Now' layered with the scratch sample from '[[Get Right With Me]]'. Notably, it is also used to similar effect in the hip hop-esque interpretation of 'Fly On The Windscreen', which was performed on the 1993 [[:Category:1993 Devotional Tour|Devotional tour]]. | ||
|colorscheme=MFTM | |colorscheme=MFTM | ||
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Revision as of 00:31, 23 November 2019
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In audio production, sampling is the reuse of a portion (or sample) from a sound recording within another recording. As pioneers of the electronic music genre in the early 1980's, Depeche Mode were among the first acts to make use of new sampling technology within a traditional pop music format.
Among the thousands of original samples recorded and utilized by Depeche Mode to enhance the atmosphere of their musical output are many that originated elsewhere, including brief passages of musical recordings by other artists, snippets of audio from television shows, radio broadcasts, films, environmental sounds, and more. Analysis of these sample sources and how they are manipulated is a common topic of discussion among fans of the group.
Glossary Terms used in this article |
Information
Key | ||||
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The sample is confirmed to have been used in the specified song by a past/present member of Depeche Mode, an individual involved in its production, or band archivist Daniel "BRAT" Barassi. | |||
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The sample is independently confirmed to have been used in the specified song. | |||
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The sample is likely to have been used in the specified song but has not yet been confirmed. | |||
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The sample is not yet confirmed to have been used in the specified song. | |||
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The sample is confirmed to not have been used in the specified song. | |||
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It is unclear if the sample was used in the specified song. |
Within reason, this page aims to document all verifiable sound sources for many of the musical parts used by Depeche Mode in the production of their studio albums, official remixes, and live performances, as well as the samples used in the production of former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder's Recoil studio albums, official remixes, live performances, and other works.
Due to the passage of time, fading memories, and the inherent nature of the samples described in this article (which were often transposed, reversed, tweaked, processed, layered, and otherwise manipulated nearly beyond recognition), there is unavoidable potential for journalistic error or misattribution. To combat this, the content of this article is comprised of verified quotes from band members and recording personnel, verifiable sources with citations wherever possible, audio examples, and independent research voluntarily contributed by Depeche Mode and Recoil fans across the world. It is written with the humble goal of providing an interesting document on this topic in a tabular format that is organized, well-researched, and reasonably accurate.
This article differentiates samples by their origin: Self-made samples, which describes any material originally recorded by Depeche Mode or Recoil, and Sourced samples, which describe samples which were not originally recorded by either group. In addition to confirmed samples, this article also covers samples that are commonly misreported as being used but have been directly refuted by a member or associate of Depeche Mode or Recoil.
As ever, if you notice an error on this page, please feel free to contact us.
Depeche Mode
Speak & Spell (1981)
Speak And Spell does not contain samples from any identifiable sources.
A Broken Frame (1982)
A Broken Frame does not contain samples from any identifiable sources.
Construction Time Again (1983)
Everything Counts (various live versions) - Depeche Mode 1983 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Woodwind-like sample | Two samples with a woodwind-esque timbre (presumably derived from a synthesizer and subsequently sampled), comprise the famous riff played by Alan Wilder during the outro as heard in performances of 'Everything Counts' during the 1987-1988 Music For The Masses and 1990 World Violation tours. Notably, one of the two samples is played monophonically with a smooth portamento layered with multiple other sampled and synthesized parts to form the main melody in the middle eight section of the studio recording of 'Shake The Disease'. | |||
One-shot guitar chug | Part of the "chugging" guitar rhythm heard most obviously during the opening bars and throughout 'Mercy In You' is sampled, transposed up several notes, and filtered to produce a rhythmic element best heard during the choruses and break section of 'Everything Counts' as it was performed on the 1993 Devotional Tour. | |||
Resonant synth pad | A resonant synth pad is used to play a series of chords during the outro of 'Everything Counts' as it was performed on the 1993 Devotional and 1994 Exotic tours. This resonant pad can also be heard during the choruses of the song as it was performed on the World Violation tour and throughout the 'Walking In My Shoes (Grungy Gonads Mix)'.
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Breathing sound | Kraftwerk - 'Tour de France' - 1983 |
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Intro sweep | Kraftwerk - 'Die Roboter' - 1978 |
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The Landscape Is Changing - Depeche Mode 1983
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Spoken word in German | Einstürzende Neubauten - 'Merle (Die Elektrik)' |
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Some Great Reward (1984)
Blasphemous Rumours - Depeche Mode 1984 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Metallic snare | The heavy snare used throughout the song is produced by recording the sound of a hammer smashing against a concrete floor. Alan says in the November 1984 issue of International Musician And Recording World:
Wilder later recalled in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
|
Master And Servant (Slavery Whip Mix) - Depeche Mode 1984
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum elements | 'Relax' - Frankie Goes To Hollywood - 1983 |
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The Face magazine reported in February 1985:
Electronics & Music Maker magazine then reported in 1986:
Wilder directly refutes this claim in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site in response to a fan question regarding the authenticity of the story as reported in an unofficial 1986 biography Depeche Mode: Some Great Reward by Dave Thompson:
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People Are People (Are People People? Mix) - Depeche Mode 1984
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Doo-wop vocal sample | The Citadels - 'When I Woke Up This Morning' - 1964 |
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Credit to Daniel Barassi for this discovery.[2]
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Catching Up with Depeche Mode (1985)
Shake The Disease - Depeche Mode 1985 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Vibraphone-like percussive bell | A filtered vibraphone-like percussive bell element is employed during the post-chorus sections layered with a variety of other parts, including a separate bell sample and synthesized parts. This distinctive sound would also see use in several other Depeche Mode songs recorded at the time such as 'It Doesn't Matter Two' and 'But Not Tonight'. | |||
Metallic percussive element | A textured, highly-resonant percussive element with a high frequency is used during the post-chorus sections layered with several other parts and processed with reverb. The sample is re-triggered to play in time with the bell melody, and is played in two ways: one where the sample is re-triggered in time with the bell melody and then allowed to play out (or allowed to play from beginning to end) on the seventh keypress, and one where the sample cuts away on the seventh keypress without playing in full. Notably, this sample is also used in several other songs recorded by Depeche Mode between 1984 and 1985, including 'It Doesn't Matter'. | |||
Hi-hats (open and closed) | A basic 4/4 hi-hat rhythm comprised of one closed and one open hi-hat is employed throughout the verses and chorus sections. These hi-hat parts would also be used in several other songs produced during that time, including 'But Not Tonight' and 'Here Is The House'.
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Black Celebration (1986)
Fly On The Windscreen (studio version and various live versions) - Depeche Mode 1986 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
"Over and done with" Daniel Miller vocal sample | Alan Wilder confirms the origin of this vocal sample in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
"Their living hell" vocal sample | Peter Jennings, ABC News (Television News Report, unidentified date) |
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Jennings was an active news anchor from 2/1/1965 to 4/1/2005. It is likely the exact date of the report sampled by Depeche Mode occurred sometime before or between November 1985 and December 1985 at the latest. | |
Sampled scratches | N.W.A. - 'Fuck tha Police' - 1988 |
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The famous scratch effect in the intro of 'Fuck tha Police' by N.W.A. is sampled and played several notes down from its root key throughout the Devotional tour version of 'Fly On The Windscreen'.
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It Doesn't Matter Two - Depeche Mode 1986 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Vibraphone-like percussive bell | A vibraphone-like percussive bell element is employed to mysterious and dramatic effect respectively during the later verses and on the final note of the song. This distinctive sound would also see use in several Depeche Mode songs produced at or around the same time, including 'Shake The Disease' and 'But Not Tonight'.
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A Question Of Time - Depeche Mode 1986 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Guitar-like pluck | A brief "plucked" guitar-like sound reminiscent of a guitar or processed piano sample is used in chorus with a bass part to form the bassline. Notably, this sample is also used to play a four note sequence as a fill sporadically throughout 'But Not Tonight'.
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Moan-like vocal sample | The Chanters - 'She Wants To Mambo' - 1954 (Re-release by Jazzman Records in 2014) |
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The second feminine moan in 'She Wants To Mambo' is sampled and played in a descending two note passage with EQ for added top-end during the chorus sections of 'A Question Of Time'. Martin Gore confirmed the use of the sample in the August 1986 issue of Electronics & Music Maker:
In addition to its use in the chorus sections, the sample is also used as a unique "Wha-, wha-, wha-" vocal-like hit that is played repetitively on every step and half step following the percussion fill during the intro and throughout the song's outro. Rather than playing out from start to finish as it does during the chorus sections, the sample is played with a fast Decay five notes down from its root key and detuned slightly to form the unique rhythmic hit. |
Here Is The House - Depeche Mode 1986 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Mandolin-like sampled guitar | Martin Gore told Electronics and Music Magazine in 1986:
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But Not Tonight - Depeche Mode 1986 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Mandolin-like sampled guitar | Sampled upstroke and downstroke guitar elements originally sampled for use in 'Here Is The House' are layered with another sampled part to produce the lead riff. Martin Gore told Electronics and Music Magazine in 1986:
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Vibraphone-like percussive bell | A vibraphone-like percussive bell element is employed during the latter half of each verse section, utilising a 1/4 delay to achieve a hypnotic "bouncing" effect. This distinctive sound would also see use in several other Depeche Mode songs produced at or around the same time, including 'Shake The Disease' and 'It Doesn't Matter Two'. | |||
Resonant bell sample | A rich, resonant bell sample is layered with a choral-esque part (possibly a Synclavier) to create a highly-textured counter melody as heard in its chorus sections. This bell sample would later be used in the introduction of 'Strangelove', 'Nothing', and the Recoil instrumental 'Grain'. | |||
Guitar-like pluck | A brief "plucked" guitar-like sound plays a tight four note sequence with an immediate Release as a fill sporadically throughout 'But Not Tonight'. This sample is also used in chorus with a bass part to form the bassline of 'A Question Of Time'. | |||
Hi-hats (open and closed) | A sequenced 4/4 hi-hat rhythm comprised of one closed and one open hi-hat is employed throughout the song. These hi-hat parts are also used in several other songs produced at or around the same time, including 'Here Is The House' and 'Shake The Disease'.
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Fly On The Windscreen (Death Mix) - Depeche Mode 1986
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
"I don't care how you feel!" vocal sample | Richard Pryor - Unidentified film |
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"Help the dying" vocal sample | Steve Kroft, CBS News (Television News Report, unidentified date) |
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Kroft was an active television news anchor with CBS news starting in 1980. It is likely the exact date of the report sampled by Depeche Mode occurred sometime before or between approx. November 1985 and December 1985 at the latest.
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Sometimes - Depeche Mode 1986
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
"Sometimes" vocal sample | Louis Armstrong - 'Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child' - 1958 |
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Credit to Home user 'personal cheese' for this discovery.[6]
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Music For The Masses (1987)
Never Let Me Down Again - Depeche Mode 1987 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Processed guitar riff | In a July 4, 2019 interview with Super Deluxe Edition, Dave Bascombe recalled the production of the guitar riff:
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Lead melody - one "guitar-like" pluck, one solo vocal-like pad with short loop | The lead melody of 'Never Let Me Down Again' as it has been performed live since its debut is comprised of a guitar-like pluck sample combined with a solo vocal-like pad with a short loop (itself derived from a non-looped sample that is used in conjunction with yet another vocal-like sound to intensify the final four bars of each verse section in 'I Want You Now').
Other notable appearances of the the guitar-like sample include a two-note fill during the verses of 'Strangelove'. In addition to its use in 'Never Let Me Down Again' and 'I Want You Now', the aforementioned solo vocal-like pad is also used to play a melody during the chorus sections of 'Nothing'. | |||
Exploding firework | An exploding firework sound originally sampled for use with 'Stripped' is occasionally played on the final note during live performances of 'Never Let Me Down Again'. Other notable uses of this sample include the final moments of 'Pimpf', where it is layered with a large female-esque choir stab and played several notes down from its root key. | |||
Synth bass | A synth bass drone originally recorded for use with 'Policy Of Truth' is layered in with the standard 'Never Let Me Down Again' bass for the live version as performed on the 1993-1994 Devotional and Exotic tours.
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Classic John Bonham drum one-shots | Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin' And Stealin' - 1982 |
|
The heavy drums of Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks' sampled on the Beastie Boys song 'Rhymin And Stealin' were subsequently sampled by Depeche Mode. One-shot samples of the bass drum and snare drum are sampled and sequenced to form the primary drum pattern of 'Never Let Me Down Again'. Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Never Let Me Down Again' employs some drum elements originally from Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks' which were sampled second-hand from a rap record. The sampled parts would later be re-purposed for 'Halo' and 'Get Right With Me'.
In a July 4, 2019 interview with Super Deluxe Edition, Dave Bascombe recalls how the sampled percussion came to be used in 'Never Let Me Down Again':
| |
Classic John Bonham drum one-shots | Led Zeppelin - 'When The Levee Breaks' - 1971 |
|
Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Never Let Me Down Again' employs some drum elements originally from Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks', which were sampled second-hand from a rap record. (Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin And Stealin'). | |
N/A | Gary Wright - 'Love Is Alive' - 1976 |
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Guitar riff and drum elements | 3rd Bass - 'Wordz Of Wisdom, Pt. 2' - 1989 |
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American hip-hop group 3rd Bass employed an uncredited sample of the opening guitar riff from Depeche Mode's 'Never Let Me Down Again' for their 1989 track 'Wordz Of Wisdom, Pt. 2'. Depeche Mode were fond of their use of the sample, and would in turn sample it back from 'Wordz Of Wisdom, Pt. 2' and employ it during the live interlude of 'Never Let Me Down Again' as performed on the 1990 World Violation Tour. Wilder would later use this sample and other elements from 'Wordz Of Wisdom, Pt. 2' in the live production of 'In Your Room' as part of Recoil's 2010-2011 Selected Events tour.
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Strangelove - Depeche Mode 1987 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Resonant bell sample | 'Strangelove' employs a rich bell sample layered with other samples to form the counter melody sound heard during its intro, chorus sections and outro. Other notable uses of this bell sample include the choruses of 'But Not Tonight' as well as the Recoil instrumental 'Grain'.
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I Want You Now - Depeche Mode 1987 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Female 'ah' vocal samples / Sample of multiple laughing girls | Two girls described by Wilder as "hanging around" the studio during the recording of Music For The Masses were utilized during the production of 'I Want You Now'. The women were recorded performing distinct 'ah' vocal "utterances" that act in place of snares alongside comparable vocals provided by Gore throughout the song. Wilder recalled in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
In a July 4, 2019 interview with Super Deluxe Edition, Dave Bascombe recalls the vocals were recorded at Guillaume Tell studio by models in the area during Paris Fashion Week:
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'Breathing' accordion loop | The "breathing" effect heard throughout 'I Want You Now' is produced by an accordion being inflated and deflated without depressing a key.[8]
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Female orgasm vocal samples (x2) | Unidentified pornographic film' |
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The pornographic film sampled by Depeche Mode for use in the production of 'I Want You Now' is likely to have enjoyed an official release on VHS or Betamax cassette and would have been in widespread circulation by July 1987. | |
Sampled scratch | N.W.A. - 'Fuck tha Police' - 1988 |
|
The famous scratch effect in the intro of 'Fuck tha Police' by N.W.A. is sampled and played sparingly throughout the 1994 Exotic tour version of 'I Want You Now' layered with the scratch sample from 'Get Right With Me'. Notably, it is also used to similar effect in the hip hop-esque interpretation of 'Fly On The Windscreen', which was performed on the 1993 Devotional tour.
|
Nothing - Depeche Mode 1987 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Hi-hat derived from the sound of a pneumatic coach door shutting | In a July 4, 2019 interview with Super Deluxe Edition, Dave Bascombe recalls the unique production of a hi-hat as used in 'Nothing' and other album songs:
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Solo vocal-like pad with short loop | A solo vocal-like pad with a short loop (derived from a non-looped sample that is used in conjunction with yet another vocal-like sound to intensify the final four bars of each verse section in 'I Want You Now') is used to play a melody during the chorus sections of 'Nothing'.
Other notable appearances of this sample include the lead melody as heard in live performances of 'Never Let Me Down Again' and as a vocal stab layered with yet another vocal-like sound during the final four bars of each verse section in 'I Want You Now'. | |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Classic John Bonham drum one-shots | Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin' And Stealin' - 1982 |
|
Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Never Let Me Down Again' employs some drum elements originally from Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks' which were sampled second-hand from a rap record. (Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin And Stealin'). The "Bonham" snare drum sample is processed and re-purposed for the snare sequence of 'Nothing'. The primary fill sequence features the snare playing a descending "melody" of 3-3-2, where each number corresponds to the number of snare hits and the key of the snare descends by one note from its root key every three hits. | |
Classic John Bonham drum one-shots | Led Zeppelin - 'When The Levee Breaks' - 1971 |
|
Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Never Let Me Down Again' employs some drum elements originally from Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks' which were sampled second-hand from a rap record. (Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin And Stealin').
|
Pimpf - Depeche Mode 1987 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Exploding firework | An exploding firework sound originally recorded for use with 'Stripped' is layered in with a large female-esque choir stab in the outro of 'Pimpf'. The sample is played in time with the choir several notes down from its root key. Notably, this sample is also occasionally played on the final note during live performances of 'Never Let Me Down Again'.
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Route 66 (Beatmasters Mix) - Depeche Mode 1987
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
"They come from everywhere to take the challenge", "If they can name it they can claim it", "It's big money, high hopes, near misses, and love and kisses", "So, join host Tom Kennedy, tonight at 7:30, and 'Name That Tune!'" vocal samples | Unspecified television advertisement for Name That Tune (game show) |
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Strangelove (The Fresh Ground Mix) - Depeche Mode 1987
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Cameo - 'Word Up' - 1986 |
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Violator (1990)
World In My Eyes - Depeche Mode 1990 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Main snare | The origin of the primary snare sound used throughout the production of 'World In My Eyes' (and, relatedly, its similar-but-different counterpart audible during the electronic interlude during the album version outro of 'Personal Jesus') is unclear. Wilder posits in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
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Minimoog/ARP 2600 bass | The origin of the bass is a combination of a series of unique synthesized parts, including a frequentially 'dark' synth bass with a heavy low frequency Moog-like quality, a velocity-sensitive synthesized bass part with a high resonance and slight filter cutoff settings, and a potentially ring-modulated velocity-sensitive synthesized bass part with a subtle filtered white noise setting (likely produced by the ARP 2600, though this is not confirmed). Wilder summarizes its production in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Bell tree sample | Fleetwood Mac - 'Black Magic Woman' - 1982 |
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This sample is used for two distinct sounds in the production of 'World In My Eyes':
Credit to Christopher Baird for this discovery. |
Sweetest Perfection - Depeche Mode 1990
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Bell tree sample | Fleetwood Mac - 'Black Magic Woman' - 1982 |
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This sample is looped and manipulated to produce a ghostly pad with oscillating pitch and creative panning effects during the verses.
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Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode 1989 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Foot stomp drum elements | Wilder recalls in separate Q&A and Editorial features on the official Recoil project site:
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Slide guitar fill | Producer Flood recalled the production of the unique slide guitar element in his 2011 Mute Short Circuit presentation:
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Vocal huffing rhythm | Kate Bush - 'The Dreaming' - 1982 |
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"I'm not crazy anymore!" vocal sample | A Cry In The Wilderness (film) - 1974 |
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Halo - Depeche Mode 1990 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Minimoog/ARP 2600 bass | The origin of the bass is a combination of likely two or more unique synthesized parts, including a frequentially 'dark' synth bass with a heavy low frequency Moog-like quality performed with a sensitive velocity setting for dynamic sonic changes per note, with an additional velocity-sensitive bass part produced with an identifiable square oscillator modulated in the synthesizer pipeline (likely produced by the ARP 2600, though this is not confirmed). Wilder summarizes its production in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Classic John Bonham drum loop | Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin' And Stealin' - 1982 |
|
Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Never Let Me Down Again' employs some drum elements originally from Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks' which were sampled second-hand from a rap record. The sampled parts would later be re-purposed for 'Halo':
| |
Classic John Bonham drum break | Led Zeppelin - 'When The Levee Breaks' - 1971 |
|
Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Never Let Me Down Again' employs some drum elements originally from Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks' which were sampled second-hand from a rap record (Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin And Stealin'). These samples were later re-purposed for use in 'Halo' and 'Get Right With Me'. | |
One shot and looped orchestral string samples | Edward Elgar - Unidentified composition |
|
Wilder confirmed in a July 27, 2011 interview with electricityclub.co.uk that 'Halo' employs orchestral string elements sampled from an unidentified recording(s) of music composed by celebrated English composer Edward Elgar. The sampled recording would have been released prior to May 1989. The nature of the samples vary, including two one-shot string staccato parts and sampled chords stretched and mixed with additional strings:
Notably, one of two sampled string loops as heard in the ending of 'Clean' are re-purposed for use as orchestral stabs employed for the verse and chorus sections of 'Halo'. |
Waiting For The Night - Depeche Mode 1990 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
ARP 2600 bass sequence | Wilder describes the production of this bass part in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
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Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode 1990 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Vocal 'ahs' | The outro choir melody is comprised of a series of looped vocal 'ah' samples. Notably, these vocal elements are re-used to dramatic effect as a solo vocal element in 'Memphisto', and are also layered with other processed vocals for use as a choir during the second verse of 'In Your Room' as it was performed on the 1993 Devotional Tour. These vocal 'ah' samples were retired from live use with 'Enjoy The Silence' by Depeche Mode and replaced with a different sample-based choir element as of the 2009-2010 Tour Of The Universe with one exception, where they were included on playback for a live television promotion.
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Policy Of Truth - Depeche Mode 1990 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Main guitar rhythm | The guitar rhythm prominently used during the first two verses is produced by a single note played from a guitar, which is processed and looped to provide a built-in vibrato effect. The sample is then allocated across the keyboard for playback. Though not confirmed, a second sample is likely used to produce the faux guitar 'lick' present in the rhythm part in every other bar. Wilder recalled in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
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Hi-hat loops | 'Policy Of Truth' employs sampled hi-hat rhythms sequenced as dynamic alternating loops, introducing an evolving rhythm to the song. Wilder explains the benefits of using loops over one-shot samples in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Main riff | Unknown Asian instrument sample library CD |
|
In a 2016 podcast, Martin Gore was asked by interviewer Rob Bell about the origin of this sound:
The sample library or classical release in question that was sampled for the main riff components would have been in circulation by 1989. The riff is comprised of two looped samples, one with a natural built-in pitch bend and a short loop, and one without pitch bend with an equally short loop. | |
Delayed, sampled, and looped guitar/synth | Tony Halliday - 'Time Turns Around' - March 1989 |
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The looped part appears sporadically throughout Toni Halliday's 'Time Turns Around', and is re-purposed for use during the bridge sections of 'Policy Of Truth'. The song enjoyed a remix by Wilder in the form of the Euro-Tech Mix, therefore it is likely he would have had access to the stem at the time of Violator's production. Credit to Home user 'Alex' for this discovery.[14]
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Clean - Depeche Mode 1990 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Female 'ah' vocal sample | 'Clean' employs a re-purposed female 'ah' vocal part originally recorded for use throughout 1987's 'I Want You Now'. The part is performed in time with the snare starting from the second verse. Wilder recalled the recording of this vocal part in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Bass guitar | Pink Floyd - 'One Of These Days' - 1971 |
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Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Clean' does not employ a sample from Pink Floyd:
| |
Orchestral string elements | Unidentified classical music recording, possibly Edward Elgar |
|
'Clean' utilises two looped sections of orchestral strings during its outro. Notably, one of two sampled string loops as heard in the ending of 'Clean' are re-purposed for use as orchestral stabs employed for the verse and chorus sections of 'Halo'.
|
Memphisto - Depeche Mode 1990 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Vocal 'ahs' | Unlooped versions of the samples comprising the vocal 'ah' melody heard in the outro of 'Enjoy The Silence' are re-used to dramatic effect as a solo vocal element in 'Memphisto'. Notably, this vocal element is also layered in with other processed vocals for use as a choir during the second verse of In Your Room as it was performed on the 1993 Devotional Tour. | |||
Resonant bass stabs | Reverberated resonant bass stabs heard throughout 'Clean' are layered in as a bass element in 'Memphisto'.
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Orchestral string elements | Unidentified classical music recording, possibly Edward Elgar |
|
Similar to their use in 'Halo', both sampled string loops best heard in the outro of 'Clean' are also used throughout 'Memphisto', notably during the second chorus section onward.
|
Happiest Girl (Pulsating Orbital Mix) - Depeche Mode 1990
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Engine idling/orchestral hit sample | The Tornadoes- 'Telstar' - 1962 |
|
Credit to Daniel Barassi for this discovery.[16]
|
Policy Of Truth (Trancentral Mix) - Depeche Mode 1990
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
"I'm not a politician, I'm a businessman" Robert Hoskins vocal sample | The Long Good Friday (film) - 1980 |
|
||
Spoken vocal sample | The "Checkers" Speech, Richard M. Nixon speech broadcast, 1952 |
|
|
World In My Eyes (Oil Tank Mix) - Depeche Mode 1990
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Kraftwerk - Musique Non-Stop - 1986 |
|
|
Sea Of Sin (Sensoria Mix) - Depeche Mode 1990
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Madonna - 'Vogue' - 1990 |
|
|
Until The End Of The World (soundtrack) (1991)
Death's Door - Depeche Mode 1991
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Guitar chords with tremolo | Depeche Mode - 'Blue Dress' - 1990 |
|
'Death's Door' re-purposes guitar chords originally recorded for 'Blue Dress' for its chorus and middle eight sections.[17] This guitar part is also notably used to dramatic effect in Recoil's 'Missing Piece'. | |
Slide guitar | Depeche Mode - 'Clean' - 1990 |
|
A slide guitar part used in the final moments of 'Clean' is re-purposed as an atmospheric effect throughout 'Death's Door', particularly in the outro section. Notably, this sample is also used to rhythmic effect throughout Recoil's 'Missing Piece'.
|
Songs Of Faith And Devotion (1993)
I Feel You - Depeche Mode 1993 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Distorted noise pad | Alan Wilder confirms this particular part is a processed sound that originated from a non-described synthesizer in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
Part of the initial transient of the distorted noise loop present in the album version of 'I Feel You' is removed so that the part begins on a brief moment of elevated pitch. This subtle edit produces an exciting result that would see use in all live performances of 'I Feel You' from the 1993 Devotional Tour onward. |
Walking In My Shoes - Depeche Mode 1993 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Processed piano/harpsichord main riff | The main riff is a combination of piano and harpsichord processed with liberal amounts of compression and guitar amplifier tremolo. Wilder confirms the composition of this sound in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum loop | Fancy - 'Feel Good' - 1974 |
|
The classic 'Feel Good' drum break is used during the chorus, middle eight, and outro sections of 'Walking In My Shoes'. The loop is resampled to match 'Walking In My Shoes' approximately 94 BPM tempo and is sliced to begin on a bass drum, with an open hi-hat on the fourth step of the second beat. The resulting rhythm is then looped to repeat every two beats. | |
Drum loop | Funkadelic - 'Nappy Dugout' - 1973 |
|
|
Condemnation - Depeche Mode 1993 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Improvised flight case bass drum | Wilder describes the recording of various elementary elements of 'Condemnation' in an editorial on the official Recoil project site:
| |||
Tambourine | The tambourine fill present at the end of each bar repeating throughout the piece is produced by scraping the tambourine against a wall.
|
Mercy In You (album version, live Devotional tour version) - Depeche Mode 1993
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum loop | The Headhunters - 'God Make Me Funky' - 1975 |
|
Multiple parts of the classic 'God Make Me Funky' drum break are sliced and looped to form a funky percussive rhythm that plays throughout 'Mercy In You'. The bulk of the loop is comprised of a full bar of the 'God Make Me Funky' break, featuring an open hi-hat on the third step of every third beat. The sample is then sliced and sequenced to match Mercy In You's approximately 96 BPM tempo. A second part of the break, featuring a double bass drum hit, is sliced and sequenced in with the main loop, with the softer bass drum hit on the third step of every second beat and the harder hit sequenced in time with the open hi-hat. The result is then looped throughout the introduction and verse sections of 'Mercy In You'. | |
Drum loop | Five Stairsteps - 'Don't Change Your Love' - 1968 |
|
The live version of 'Mercy In You' as it was performed on the 1993 Devotional tour features a sample of the classic Five Stairsteps' 'Don't Change Your Love' drum break. Due to the composition of the loop as it is used on the live version of 'Mercy In You', which features a reflection of a tambourine hit on the second beat of every bar and possesses distinct EQ and dynamic characteristics that differ somewhat from the original break, it is unclear whether the sample is a direct lift from the 1968 song or if the loop was taken secondhand from a rap record. Candidates for possible secondhand sample sources include the 'JMJ Telephone Tap Groove' remix of Public Enemy's 'Louder Than A Bomb' (the loop is exposed in the instrumental version of the remix, which was commercially available on the 1992 12" release) and the 1992 rap track 'Taste of the Bass' by Hustlers Of Culture featuring EQ (2), which exposes the drum break in the intro.
|
Judas - Depeche Mode 1993 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
"If you want my love" choir | This vocal performance is comprised of a large number of individual vocal recordings of individuals employed during the recording of 'Judas', the final album track to be recorded at Chateau du Pape Studio, with each individual's vocal performance multitracked six times each for a total of ninety indiidual voices, with additional delay, reverb, and EQ to introduce an intimate southern church-like quality to the vocals. Wilder describes the recording of this particular part in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
| |||
Brass | 'Judas' and 'Higher Love' each employ similar sample-based brass parts during their respective bridge sections.
|
In Your Room - Depeche Mode 1993 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Textured variphone pad | 'In Your Room' employs a textured pad derived from the variphone during the first verse and sporadically throughout the outro. A "fuller" variation of this pad is used during the build-up to the outro of 'Mercy In You'.[18] | |||
Processed and double-tracked guitar "splang" chord samples | Wilder describes the recording of 'In Your Room's chorus chord stabs in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
| |||
Orchestral tremolo strings | A series of sustained orchestral tremolo string parts are employed throughout the track. The strings play in alternating chords to enhance the atmosphere of the choruses and build tension during the third verse's crescendo. | |||
Processed choir pads (reversed) | ||||
Texture ambient noise pad (looped) | A textured loop used sporadically during the introduction of 'In Your Room' is a brief sample of ambient noise with audible wind chimes in the background introducing a "grainy" texture to the sound. The sample is reversed and subsequently looped, then transposed down several notes from its root key for the final result. | |||
Vocal 'ahs' | Vocal ah samples are layered with other wavery, processed solo vocal samples to produce a lush choir used during the second verse of 'In Your Room' as it was performed on the 1993 Devotional Tour. Notably, these vocal ah parts also comprise the vocal 'ah' melody heard during the outro of 'Enjoy The Silence' and the solo vocal melody used throughout 'Memphisto'.
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum loop | Rusty Bryant - 'Fire Eater' - 1971 |
|
A classic drum break consisting of a funky bass drum, snare, and hi-hat is lifted from 'Fire Eater' for use with 'In Your Room' starting from the second verse. The loop is sequenced in an "evolving" way, so that more of the loop is heard as the song progresses:
The resulting sequence is looped to repeat every four bars throughout the verses and chorus sections. As the verse sections of the album version of 'In Your Room include an additional bar following the fourth line to accommodate Martin Gore's ethereal vocal ahs, the timing of the loop relative to the music changes naturally as the verse progresses, adding a dynamic "live performance" quality to the track. | |
Drum loop | Simtec & Wylie - 'Bootleggin' - 1971 |
|
||
Drum loop | Melvin Bliss - 'Synthetic Substitution' - 1973 |
|
|
Get Right With Me - Depeche Mode 1993
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Classic John Bonham drum one-shots | Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin' And Stealin' - 1982 |
|
Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Never Let Me Down Again' employs some drum elements originally from Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks' which were sampled second-hand from a rap record (Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin And Stealin'). These samples were later re-purposed for use in 'Halo' and 'Get Right With Me'. Massive Attack would use the sampled drum elements from 'Get Right With Me' on the song 'Man Next Door' from their 1998 album Mezzanine, bringing the number of times this famous drum sound had been directly sampled by an artist only to then be sampled from their record by another artist to a total of three. | |
Classic John Bonham drum one-shots | Led Zeppelin - 'When The Levee Breaks' - 1971 |
|
Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that 'Never Let Me Down Again' employs some drum elements originally from Led Zeppelin's 'When The Levee Breaks' which were sampled second-hand from a rap record (Beastie Boys - 'Rhymin And Stealin'). These samples were later re-purposed for use in 'Halo' and 'Get Right With Me'. | |
N/A | N.W.A. - Unspecified song |
|
|
Higher Love - Depeche Mode 1993 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Brass | 'Judas' and 'Higher Love' employ similar sample-based brass parts during their respective bridge sections.
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum loop | U2 - 'So Cruel' - 1991 |
|
Wilder indirectly confirmed in a response to a question regarding the sonic similarity between the drums of Depeche Mode's 'Higher Love' and U2's 'So Cruel' in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that a drum loop from U2's 'So Cruel' was utilised by affirming producer Flood assisted in the production of both records. Depeche Mode would later cover this song, see 'So Cruel'):
The loop is produced by sampling various parts from the introduction of the U2 original, where the piano and vocals are not present and the drum rhythm is most exposed. The sample is stretched to match 'Higher Love's tempo of approximately 98 BPM and subsequently sliced into separate parts for the bass drum and snares, which are sequenced accordingly. The piano remains audible in the final result, adding tone to the loop. A separate slicing process and treatment of this loop is performed for drum fills, where the loop is reversed and repeated every two beats. |
My Joy - Depeche Mode 1993 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Distorted bass hit | A distorted bass hit with built-in descending pitch originally recorded as part of the bassline of 'I Feel You' is re-purposed as an accent in 'My Joy'. The sample occurs on the beat at bar forty-seven (1:48) at the start of the break, and plays one note above its root key.
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Snare drum fill | Beastie Boys - 'Funky Boss' - 1992 |
|
The 'rolling' snare drum fill audible in the intro of the Beastie Boys' 'Funky Boss' is sampled and stretched via resampling to match 'My Joy's approximately 102 BPM tempo, with light distortion/saturation added to introduce a 'dirty' quality to the part. As it was in the Beastie Boys original, this sample remains in use as a drum fill. | |
Heavy drum loop with built-in bass drum, snare, and programmed hi-hat sequence | Beastie Boys - 'Pass The Mic' - 1992 |
|
The heavy drum loop present in the brief instrumental break of the Beastie Boys' song 'Pass The Mic' is sampled and stretched via resampling to match 'My Joy's slightly faster BPM. Once matched for tempo, the sample is sliced into two bars, placing the part that originally plays in the second bar (which features a "slurred" quality on the first snare hit) into the first bar, and the remaining content is placed into the second bar. The results are then looped with some light processing added, creating the main drum bed of 'My Joy'. For drum fills, the final beat of the first bar containing a snare hit is sliced and placed prior to the start of the loop. For bars containing reverse percussion fills, a brief snippet of the second bar including just the first bass drum hits and the snare drum is sampled, reversed, stretched, and played from the seventh step in the bar.
The drums were originally performed by Mike D (Michael Diamond) during the recording of Check Your Head at G-Son Studios, Atwater Village, CA. According to the late MCA (Adam Yauch) in 1999:
| |
Orchestral string samples: two looped samples, one one-shot | Edward Elgar - Unidentified composition |
|
Orchestral string elements originally used throughout 'Halo' and during the outro of 'Clean' are re-purposed for 'My Joy's outro. The looped orchestral sample most obviously heard during the fifth bar of the first verse of 'Halo' is reversed, looped, and played from its root key to two notes above its root key to form the melodic two bar orchestral phrase heard during the line "I'm not a mountain, no, you move me". Next, the first of the two looped orchestral samples heard during the outro of 'Clean' plays three notes down from its root key on the third bar. Finally, the "soaring" one-shot orchestral phrase heard on the final bar of all choruses in 'Halo' besides the first chorus is looped with a short loop point towards the end of the sample and played three notes above its root key with a slow attack and a medium to long release time, forming the orchestral phrase heard on the fourth bar. The resulting four bar sequence then repeats for the remainder of the song.
Wilder confirmed in a July 27, 2011 interview with electricityclub.co.uk that 'Halo' (and 'My Joy' by extension) employs orchestral string elements sampled from an unidentified recording(s) of music composed by celebrated English composer Edward Elgar. The sampled recording would have been released prior to May 1989. The nature of the samples vary, including two one-shot string staccato parts and sampled chords stretched and mixed with additional strings:
|
My Joy (Slow Slide Mix) - Depeche Mode 1993
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Heavy drum loop with built-in bass drum, snare, and programmed hi-hat sequence | Beastie Boys - 'Pass The Mic' - 1992 |
|
The heavy drum loop present in the brief instrumental break of the Beastie Boys' song 'Pass The Mic' is sampled and stretched via resampling to match 'My Joy's slightly faster BPM. Once matched for tempo, the sample is sliced into two bars, placing the part that originally plays in the second bar (which features a "slurred" quality on the first snare hit) into the first bar, and the remaining content is placed into the second bar. The results are then looped with some light processing added, creating the loop that plays for eight bars in chorus with a loop from Dexter Wansel's 'Theme From The Planets'. A reversed percussion effect created by sampling, reversing, and stretching a brief snippet from bar two of the 'Pass The Mic' loop can be heard throughout the 'Slow Slide' mix. The sampled percussive element plays from the seventh step on the first beat on every other bar throughout the remix, and is processed through a phaser effect to widen the sound and add character to the part. | |
Drum loop | Fancy - 'Feel Good' - 1974 |
|
The classic 'Feel Good' drum break is used throughout the Slow Slide mix of 'My Joy'. The loop is sliced to begin on a bass drum, with an open hi-hat on the fourth step of the second beat. The resulting rhythm is then repeated for the remaining two beats of the bar, with the second open hi-hat hit removed on the fourth beat. | |
Drum loop | James Brown - 'Funky Drummer' - 1970 |
|
||
Drum loop | Dexter Wansel - 'Theme From The Planets' - 1976 |
|
|
In Your Room (Jeep Rock Mix) - Depeche Mode 1993
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum loop | Skull Snaps - 'It's A New Day' - 1973 |
|
|
Walking In My Shoes (Extended Twelve Inch Mix) - Depeche Mode 1993
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum loop with distinct bass drum, "roomy" snares, and ethnic percussion | The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - 'Language Of Violence' - 1992 |
|
|
Walking In My Shoes (Grungy Gonads Mix) - Depeche Mode 1993
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum loop | Mountain - 'Long Red' - 1972 |
|
||
Orchestral string passage | Ennio Morricone - 'In Chiesa' - Ad Ogni Costo (film) soundtrack - 1967 |
|
The string passage in the introduction to this orchestral piece was sampled by the late trip-hop pioneer Jonny Dollar and Portishead member Geoff Barrow.[22] for use in the 'Walking In My Shoes (Grungy Gonads Mix)'. The sample is stretched to match the tempo of 'Walking In My Shoes', with sixteen manual scratches on the third bar producing an exciting scratch effect. The sample appears in multiple 'Walking In My Shoes' remixes from the period, and has commonly been employed in many performances of this song since its live introduction on the 1993 Devotional Tour. Credit to Christopher Baird for this discovery.[23]
|
Walking In My Shoes (Random Carpet Mix) - Depeche Mode 1993
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Orchestral string samples | Doctor Zhivago (film) - 1965 |
|
|
Ultra (1997)
Useless (The Kruder & Dorfmeister Session) - Depeche Mode 1997
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Slide guitar stab | Depeche Mode - 'Policy Of Truth' - 1990 |
|
The 'Useless' (Kruder & Dortmeister Session) includes a sample of a slide guitar stab from Depeche Mode's 'Policy Of Truth'.
|
Painkiller - Depeche Mode 1997
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Vanessa Paradis - 'The Future Song' - 1992 |
|
|
It's No Good (Hardfloor Mix) - Depeche Mode 1997
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum elements | Fat Larry's Band - 'Down In The Avenue' - 1976 |
|
Credit to Christopher Baird for this discovery.[24]
|
Useless (Cosmic Blues Mix) - Depeche Mode 1997
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
"I want to hear you play some bass" vocal sample | National Lampoon's That's Not Funny, That's Sick (Sketch comedy album) - 1977 |
|
|
Exciter (2001)
Dream On (Remix) - Depeche Mode 2001
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Kraftwerk - 'The Robots' - 1978 |
|
|
Playing The Angel (2005)
Playing The Angel does not contain samples from any identifiable sources.
Sounds Of The Universe (2009)
Sounds Of The Universe does not contain samples from any identifiable sources.
Delta Machine (2013)
Delta Machine does not contain samples from any identifiable sources.
Spirit (2017)
Spirit does not contain samples from any identifiable sources.
Recoil
Upon his departure from Depeche Mode in 1995, Alan Wilder would expand upon the creative sampling techniques he perfected through the years as a member of Depeche Mode for his Recoil music project, utilising samples from contemporary music, films, film soundtracks, and samples from his own past work with Depeche Mode.
1 + 2 (1986)
1 & 2 - Recoil 1986
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'Any Second Now' (Altered) - 1981 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'If You Want' - 1984 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'The Sun & The Rainfall' - 1982 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'Oberkorn (It's A Small Town)' - 1982 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'The Great Outdoors' - 1983 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'Shouldn't Have Done That' - 1982 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' - 1981 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'Shake The Disease' (Edit the Shake) - 1985 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'Pipeline' - 1983 |
|
||
N/A | Depeche Mode – 'Blasphemous Rumours' - 1984 |
|
||
N/A | Kraftwerk – 'Radioaktivität' - 1975 |
|
||
N/A | Kraftwerk – 'Uran' - 1975 |
|
||
N/A | Kraftwerk – 'Radioland' - 1975 |
|
||
N/A | Duet Emmo – 'Or So It Seems' - 1983 |
|
||
N/A | Duet Emmo – 'Heart of Hearts' - 1983 |
|
||
N/A | The Hitmen – 'Shade in, fade out' - 1981 |
|
||
N/A | Hard Corps - 'Je Suis Passée' - 1985 |
|
|
Hydrology (1988)
Grain - Recoil 1988 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Resonant bell sample | 'Grain' uses a re-purposed bell-like sample originally produced for use with a variety of Depeche Mode songs to atmospheric effect during its atonal outro. This bell sample is also used in the introduction and chorus sections of 'Strangelove' and the chorus sections of 'But Not Tonight'.
|
Stone - Recoil 1988
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
French vocal sample | French train announcer, unidentified source |
|
Wilder confirmed in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site that Stone employs a vocal sample of a French train station announcer, but is unsure of its origin.[25] The announcer says in French:
|
The Sermon - Recoil 1988 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Polish vocal sample | A Polish vocal sample from a Polish radio broadcast reporting on Pope John Paul II's June 9, 1987 sermon in Warsaw can be heard at the start of 'The Sermon'. Wilder commented on the origin of this sample in a 2008 interview for komarnicki.pl: The two fragments state the following:
English Google translation:
|
Ebbhead (Nitzer Ebb album)
Between the conclusion of the World Violation Tour and the recording of Songs Of Faith And Devotion, Alan Wilder would step into London's KONK Studios to record Recoil's Bloodline between January and March 1991. A month later, he would return to the studio to produce Depeche Mode support act Nitzer Ebb's Ebbhead record in collaboration with producer Flood and mix engineer Steve Lyon. As was characteristic of his work in Depeche Mode and Recoil, Wilder would employ samples from a wide variety of sources in the production of Ebbhead.
Nitzer Ebb's Bon Harris on Wilder's musical prowess in 1991:
"Alan has a very musical ear. He's classically trained, so he knows what he's doing when it comes to melody, but has no tolerance for pop - that's quite a good combination."[28]
Godhead - Nitzer Ebb 1991
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum/synth loop | Kraftwerk - 'Home Computer (The Mix Version)' - 1991 |
|
|
Bloodline (1992)
Faith Healer - Recoil 1992 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Piano-like one-shot | A low octave, piano-like sampled synth part originally recorded for use with 'Policy Of Truth' is used to atmospheric effect in 'Faith Healer'. | |||
Snare | The distinctive snare originally recorded for use in 'World In My Eyes' is used throughout 'Faith Healer'. | |||
Tom/drum fill | The tom drum fill that bridges the chorus and verse sections of 'Personal Jesus' bears a strong similarity to the equivalent part used during the chorus sections of 'Faith Healer'. | |||
Xpander 'zap' and Pro One synth bass sweep[29] | A layered Xpander/Pro One bass synth part originally recorded for use during the chorus sections of 'Enjoy The Silence' are re-used during the chorus sections of 'Faith Healer'. | |||
Eyes" vocoder vocal | A quick cut of a vocoded vocal performance originally recorded for use with the 'Dub In My Eyes' remix of 'World In My Eyes' is used as a rhythmic element throughout 'Faith Healer'. | |||
Looped 'ahh' solo male vocal/choir pad (one of two) | A looped male solo vocal pad originally heard during the opening minutes of 'Clean' is used sporadically throughout 'Faith Healer'. Credit to Christopher Baird for this discovery.[30]
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Guitar riff and other elements | The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - 'The Faith Healer' - 1973 |
|
||
Bell tree sample | Fleetwood Mac - 'Black Magic Woman' - 1982 |
|
This sample was originally sampled for use in Depeche Mode's 'World In My Eyes', and is re-used to atmospheric effect in 'Faith Healer'.
|
Electro Blues For Bukka White - Recoil 1992 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Bass sequence | Musician Ehron VonAllen confirmed in a YouTube analysis of his remix collaboration with Alan Wilder that the latter employed a bass sequence originally recorded for use with 'Waiting For The Night' in 'Electro Blues For Bukka White'.
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Bukka White vocal performance | Bukka White - 'Shake 'Em On Down' - 1937 |
|
||
N/A | David Bowie - 'Aladdin Sane' - 1973 |
|
|
The Defector - Recoil 1992
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Anthony Hopkins "Closer...", "That is his nature", "No, no, no, no, no" vocal samples | Silence Of The Lambs (film) - 1991 |
|
||
N/A | LFO - 'El Ef Oh' - 1991 |
|
|
Edge To Life - Recoil 1992 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
Italian female spoken vocal | A female vocal spoken in Italian from the Strange video compilation can be heard throughout the song. Spoken by Ippolita 'Poppy' Santorelli, the Italian actress prominently featured in the music video for 'Behind The Wheel'.
Italian:
English:
|
Curse - Recoil 1992 |
Self-made samples | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample | Notes | |||
'Breathing' accordion loop | The "breathing" effect originally recorded for use in 'I Want You Now' is re-purposed for atmosphere throughout 'Curse'. The sound is produced by an accordion being inflated and deflated without depressing a key.[8]
| |||
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Diamanda Galás vocal sample | Diamanda Galás - Unidentified source |
|
||
Fat, punchy snare | Digital Underground - 'The Humpty Dance' - 1990 |
|
||
High pitch "wailing" police siren-based scratch effect | Super Cat - Ghetto Red Hot (Hip Hop Mix)' - 1992 |
|
'Curse' employs a sampled scratch effect as a fill element throughout the song which bears some similarity to the initial transient of a wailing police siren loop that occurs throughout 'Ghetto Red Hot (Hip Hop Mix)' by Jamaican DJ Super Cat. Beyond its sonic similarity, the likelihood of this source is furthered given it released on January 4, 1992, coincidentally 101 days prior to the April 14, 1992 release of Bloodline). Coupled with the supplemental nature of the scratch effect, which is not integral to the musical structure of 'Curse', it is likely but difficult to confirm this part was sampled from 'Ghetto Red Hot' and included as a late percussive addition on 'Curse'. | |
"You're blind, you're blind from the facts" vocal | Public Enemy - She Watch Channel Zero?!' - 1988 |
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Bloodline - Recoil 1992 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
'Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf' nursery rhyme vocal | A reversed vocal performance of the nursery rhyme 'Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf' as sung by Douglas McCarthy's daughter can be heard mid-way through the song. Notably, this sample is also used in the Nitzer Ebb song 'Sugar Sweet'.
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Faith Healer (Trance Mix) - Recoil 1992 |
Self-made samples | |||
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Sample | Notes | |||
Piano-like one-shot | A low octave, piano-like sampled synth part originally recorded for use with 'Policy Of Truth' is used to atmospheric effect in 'Faith Healer'.
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Tom/drum fill | The tom drum fill that bridges the chorus and verse sections of 'Personal Jesus' bears a strong similarity to the equivalent part used during the chorus sections of 'Faith Healer'. | |||
Xpander 'zap' and Pro One synth bass sweep[31] | A layered Xpander/Pro One bass synth part originally recorded for use during the chorus sections of 'Enjoy The Silence' are re-used during the chorus sections of 'Faith Healer'. | |||
Eyes" vocoder vocal | A quick cut of a vocoded vocal performance originally recorded for use with the 'Dub In My Eyes' remix of 'World In My Eyes' is used as a rhythmic element throughout 'Faith Healer'.
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Guitar riff and other elements | The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - 'The Faith Healer' - 1973 |
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N/A | LFO - 'Love Is The Message' - 1991 |
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Unsound Methods
Incubus - Recoil 1997
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Percussion elements | Depeche Mode - 'Clean' - 1990 |
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A percussive loop originally recorded for use in Depeche Mode's 'Clean' is re-used to create a rhythmic, tribal atmosphere in 'Incubus'. | |
Shouting vocal sample | Peter Gabriel - 'Rhythm Of The Heat' - 1982 |
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Drifting - Recoil 1997
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Marimba loop | Peter Gabriel - 'Slow Marimbas' - 1985 |
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Luscious Apparatus - Recoil 1997
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Introductory guitar chord | The Cure - 'Club America' - 1996 |
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Stalker - Recoil 1997
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
"Versus Christus, ave Satani!" vocal chant with orchestral string and trumpet ostinato | Jerry Goldsmith - The Omen (film soundtrack) - Killer's Storm - 1976 |
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A sample of an orchestral ostinato and Latin vocal chant from 'Killer's Storm', a musical score from the 1976 horror film The Omen are used to enhance the rhythm of 'Stalker' starting from the three minute sixteen second mark. The sample is sliced so that the orchestral ostinato, which consists of strings and trumpets playing a repeated one note phrase, is played on the first beat for several bars. Cuts of the sample containing the Latin choral chants "Versus Christus" and "Ave Satani" are then played in respective order once on the third beat for two bars. The score from which the sample is derived is notable for playing during the scene in which the priest character Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton) flees to a church for sanctuary from a supernatural assault by the Devil in retribution for having informed Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck), the unknowing adopted father of the Antichrist, of his son's unholy origin.
The Latin sung by the choir in the sample source contains a number of errors. As performed throughout the film's soundtrack, the incorrectly-sung phrase "Ave, ave Versus Christus!" is correctly written as "Avē, avē Antichriste!", which translates to "Hail, hail Antichrist!".[32] | |
Ambient pads | Peter Gabriel - Birdy (film soundtrack) - Unidentified source song - 1985 |
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911 operator vocal | The Last Seduction (film) - 1994 |
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Red River Cargo - Recoil 1997
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Wild At Heart (film) - 1990 |
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Control Freak - Recoil 1997
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - 'You're All I Need To Get By' - 1968 |
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Missing Piece - Recoil 1997
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Slide guitar | Depeche Mode - 'Clean' - 1990 |
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A slide guitar part used prominently in the final moments of 'Clean' is re-purposed as a rhythmic element throughout the choruses of 'Missing Piece'. Notably, this sample is also used to atmospheric effect in 'Death's Door'. | |
Looped pad, likely derived from a guitar | Depeche Mode - 'Clean' - 1990 |
|
A textured pad effect originally recorded for embellishment from the second chorus onwards of 'Clean' is re-purposed for atmospherics in 'Missing Piece'. The part is audible at the two minute thirty second mark. | |
E-bow guitar sample | Depeche Mode - 'Walking In My Shoes' - 1993 |
|
A series of sustained e-bow guitar parts originally recorded for use during the middle eight and outro sections of 'Walking In My Shoes' are re-used to ominous effect in chorus with orchestral strings at the three minute seven second mark. | |
Guitar chords with tremolo | Depeche Mode - 'Blue Dress' - 1990 |
|
'Missing Piece' re-purposes a guitar chord processed through a tremolo effect originally recorded for 'Blue Dress' to dramatic effect at the three minute thirty-two second mark. This guitar part is also notably used during the chorus sections of 'Death's Door'.
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Last Breath - Recoil 1997
| ||||
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
E-bow guitar sample | Depeche Mode - 'Walking In My Shoes' - 1993 |
|
A series of sustained e-bow guitar parts originally recorded for use during the middle eight and outro sections of 'Walking In My Shoes' are re-used for the outro of 'Last Breath'. | |
Ambient "whale"-like atmosphere | Depeche Mode - 'Walking In My Shoes (Ambient Whale Mix)' - 1993 |
|
An undistorted cut of the ambient whale-like noise prominently featured in the Ambient Whale Mix of 'Walking In My Shoes' is played several notes above its root key in the first moments of 'Last Breath'. | |
Drum loop | The Incredible Bongo Band - 'Last Bongo in Belgium' - 1973 |
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Shunt - Recoil 1997
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Gated synth | Piquet - 'Caress' - 1996 |
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Sub bass and bass drum | Massive Attack - 'Better Things' - 1994 |
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Liquid
Black Box (Pt. 1) & Black Box (Pt. 2) - Recoil 2000
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
"Wind"-like pad | Depeche Mode - 'I Feel You' - 1993 |
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A pad with a unique wind-like texture used throughout 'I Feel You' can be heard playing approximately five notes down from its root key at the eighteen second mark of 'Black Box (Pt. 2)'. | |
Orchestral strings | Symphony No. 3 (Górecki) - 1992 |
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N/A | Plastikman - 'Consumed' - 1998 |
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Want - Recoil 2000
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Drum loop | PJ Harvey - 'Is This Desire?' - 1998 |
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Jezebel - Recoil 2000
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Vocals | Golden Gate Quartet - 'Jezebel' - 1976 |
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SubHuman
Allelujah - Recoil 2007
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Processed and double-tracked guitar "splang" chords | Depeche Mode - 'In Your Room' - 1993 |
|
Wilder describes the recording of this particular part in a Q&A on the official Recoil project site:
| |
N/A | Tangerine Dream - 'Rubycon' - 1975 |
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Drum loop | Elbow - 'Fugitive Motel' - 2003 |
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The Killing Ground - Recoil 2007
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Harmonica and drum elements | Talk Talk - 'The Rainbow' - 1988 |
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99 To Life - Recoil 2007
| ||||
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
N/A | Digital Intervention - 'La Louve' - 2003 |
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Miscellaneous remixes
In Chains (Alan Wilder Remix) - Depeche Mode 2011
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Ambient pads | Depeche Mode - 'I Want It All' - 2005 |
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Orchestral string arrangement | Depeche Mode - 'I Am You' - 2001 |
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Drum loop | UNKLE - 'Keys to the Kingdom' - 2007 |
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Inheritance - Recoil 2012
| ||||
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Percussion elements | Depeche Mode - 'Nothing's Impossible' - 2005 |
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Dum Dum Girl feat. Shara Worden - Recoil 2012
| ||||
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Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Percussion elements | Depeche Mode - 'Nothing's Impossible' - 2005 |
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I Am Undone (Alan Wilder Remix) - Nitzer Ebb 2011
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sample sources | ||||
Sample | Source | Status | Notes | |
Percussion elements | Scott Walker - 'Manhattan' - 1995 |
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Source: SHUNT : ARCHIVES : DEPECHE MODE : SOME GREAT REWARD
- ↑ Source: User 'fishureprice' (Brat/Daniel Barassi) Instagram post
- ↑ Source: SHUNT : ARCHIVES : DEPECHE MODE : BLACK CELEBRATION
- ↑ Source: Muzines.co.uk : Articles : Modes Of Operation (Electronics & Music Maker, August 1986)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Source: Electronics and Music Magazine
- ↑ Source: Home user 'personal cheese' forum post
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Source: Super Deluxe Edition July 4, 2019 Producer Dave Bascombe on Depeche Mode's 'Music For The Masses'
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Source: Shunt Q&A: ARCHIVES : DEPECHE MODE : MUSIC FOR THE MASSES
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Source: Shunt Q&A: ARCHIVES : DEPECHE MODE : VIOLATOR
- ↑ Source: SHUNT : ARCHIVES : REPORT : EDITORIAL : VIOLATOR
- ↑ Source: ALAN WILDER Interview - July 27, 2011
- ↑ Source: SHUNT : ARCHIVES : DEPECHE MODE : VIOLATOR : PAGE TWO
- ↑ Source: 2016-01-25 The RobCast 2016-01-25 Martin Gore interview
- ↑ Source: Home user 'Alex' forum post
- ↑ Source: Shunt Q&A: ARCHIVES : DEPECHE MODE : VIOLATOR
- ↑ Source: Home user 'BRATMix' forum post
- ↑ Source: Violator engineer Steve Lyon Facebook post.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 Source: Shunt Q&A: ARCHIVES : DEPECHE MODE : SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION
- ↑ Source: Shunt Q&A: ARCHIVES : EDITORIAL : DM Singles 86-98
- ↑ Source: Beastiemania Song Spotlight : Pass The Mic
- ↑ Source: ALAN WILDER Interview - July 27, 2011
- ↑ Source: Alan Wilder Facebook comment
- ↑ Source: HOME user 'Bairdicus' comment HOME : Depeche Mode : In General : Simple Questions. Quick Answers
- ↑ Source: HOME user Bairdicus comment HOME : Depeche Mode : In General : Sampled by Depeche Mode
- ↑ Source: Shunt Q&A: ARCHIVES : Recoil : 1 + 2 / HYDROLOGY
- ↑ Sources: Interview with Alan Wilder for Wyborcza Poland, 2010-04-19 + Interview with Alan Wilder for Devotees.pl, 2008-02-21
- ↑ Transcribed by Aleksandra Lech for DMLiveWiki on 2019-07-30
- ↑ Source: American Radio History : Archive: 1991-07-05
- ↑ Source: Depeche Mode remixer Black Light Odyssey (GearSlutz user 'dubnspace') GearSlutz : Forum : Electronic Music Instruments and Electronic Music Production : Depeche Mode Enjoy The Silence synth sweep sound
- ↑ Source: HOME user 'Bairdicus' comment HOME : Depeche Mode : In General : Sampled by Depeche Mode
- ↑ Source: Depeche Mode remixer Black Light Odyssey (GearSlutz user 'dubnspace') GearSlutz : Forum : Electronic Music Instruments and Electronic Music Production : Depeche Mode Enjoy The Silence synth sweep sound
- ↑ Source: 'Ave Satani' - Jerry Goldsmith, 1976 - MusicNotes sheet music