Photo by Travis Shinn
After a bit of social-media teasing, Mute Records this morning announced the release early next year of a new instrumental electronic EP from Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore, a five-song collection that’s preceded by a “ferocious slice of electro” called “Mandrill.”
You can hear the new song below.
Gore’s The Third Chimpanzee EP will be released Jan. 29 by Mute, and is available to pre-order from the label on CD and limited-edition azure-blue 12-inch vinyl.
Of the new project, recorded at his Electric Ladyboy home studio this year, Gore says:
“The first track I recorded had a sound that wasn’t human. It sounded primate-like. I decided to name it ‘Howler,’ after a monkey. Then, when it came time to name the EP, I remembered reading the book ‘The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee.’ It all made sense to call it that, as the EP was made by one of the third chimpanzees.”
The new EP is Gore’s first release since his instrumental solo album MG in 2015, which followed his equally instrumental VCMG project with Vince Clarke in 2012. He previously released the Counterfeit EP, a collection of covers, in 1989 and its full-length follow-up Counterfeit² in 2003.
Gore and current and former Depeche Mode bandmates Dave Gahan, Andy Fletcher, Alan Wilder and Clarke were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this month.
Below, check out Gore’s brand-new song “Mandrill” and the Third Chimpanzee EP’s cover art — painted, no less, by capuchin monkey Pockets Warhol — and tracklist.
Martin Gore, The Third Chimpanzee EP
1. “Howler”
2. “Mandrill”
3. “Capuchin”
4. “Vervet”
5. “Howler’s End”
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Where has this sound been for the past few DM albums??? This is great
Very much in the vein of his MG release a few years ago and I’m a fan of it. Pure electronics. Kind of baffling why Martin has never scored a film or two in his career as this kind of thing would go over like gangbusters in that world.
I really like Martin’s electronic stuff, it’s a really neat venture outside of DM. It’s further down the electronic direction, where as Soulsavers w/ Dave is more of the rockier side he embraces.
Gotta admit, DM is putting the Cure to shame with releases the past couple years. We get a surprise EP from Mart, and we’re still waiting for the album Smith promised that would be out 2 years ago.
Cure hasn’t released an album in 12 years, no reason to compare the two. sounds like you have it out for the cure, that’s all. The last three DM albums are flops, like they phoned it in, and people will agree the last two cure albums are lackluster too (though I liked them, I didn’t love them).
With all due respect… I gotta disagree with you on Spirit. That’s one of the best releases DM has done since Songs of Faith & Devotion. I’d put it alongside Playing the Angel. Personally, I like Sounds of the Universe the most out of all the Hillier produced albums, but we can agree Delta Machine is pretty weak.
Oh, I’ll admit I do have it out for the Cure..! lol I am a longtime fan, but it’s very annoying when Robert keeps telling the fans that something is almost done for 2 years and that it’ll be out soon. Depeche just announces something maybe a month or so in advance before it’s released and boom–It’s actually there.
YES, that can be very annoying, but as a long time fan, and because he flat tells you not to believe a word he says, I find RS getting excited about the possibilities sort of endearing. I think Playing the Angel was very disappointing – paint by numbers DM, but it was critically acclaimed and a decent number of fans enjoyed it, so I won’t knock it further. My point though is this track from Martin is a sound they should easily be utilizing, and don’t.
Yes! I agree. I would love to hear this sound on the next album. If not James Ford producing, maybe Justin Meldal-Johnson. He did great stuff for Beck, NIN, and M83.