(B-side to standalone single, "Dreaming Of Me")
The first B-side on this blog, and perhaps the best B-side ever recorded, "Ice Machine" is often forgotten, left behind even in the grand catalogue of memorable Depeche Mode tracks. Admittedly as the mere flip-side to the debut single which only reached #57, it might be easy to understand why, but really, this track is a classic, a real reminder of what the synthpop movement sounded like, a standing example of Vince Clarke's keyboard genius, and a monument to the brief pop atmosphere of early 1980s Depeche Mode...
In fact brevity is the tragic thing about this recording. At only 4:09, the listener wills it to go on and on forever. Fortunately however, everything else is amazing. The synthesised sound is so electronically raw and real; every sweeping melody is well composed, and each layer tells it's own beautiful story, with weight added to the sound by the background whine, present throughout the whole song. The analogue sound really shines here, it's originality and exciting tone something to behold even 30 years on, as between each drum machine generated series of programmed clicks and blips, you can still almost hear the veneer finish of the keyboards creaking.
Each layer of keyboard brilliance meanders in and out of each ear, and back into the middle where it collides in a wonderful fit of electric noise. "Dreaming Of Me", the A-side, later included on re-pressings of the band's debut 1981 album, although much poppier and with less stature and emotion, is also great sound; very unique and very danceable. As a piece of synthesiser composition, it really is quite something to behold.
Perhaps most importantly, especially for this band, the vocalist, Dave Gahan, still a hopelessly stylish new romantic from Basildon with great hair and an ill-fitting mohair suit, sends a terrifying and candid baritone vocal through the airwaves, juxtaposing the light blips of the keyboards with the throaty deep quality of his tremendous vocal. The lyrics aren't great, but the guy's voice has real presence and resonance.
One of the best things about Depeche Mode has been their loyalty to Mute Records, another brilliant factor which contributes toward the quality of this sound. Whilst other albums around at the time such as Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark's "Organisation", The Human League's "Travelogue" and New Order's single "Procession/Everything's Gone Green" suffered from production values that sounded suitably demo-like and unclean, Mute's studios and producers provided a comparably immaculate edge to their records, and the high quality of both "Ice Machine" and Depeche Mode's 1981 album, "Speak & Spell" really are a great example of this. What's surpsiing is that, even when the other bands catch up, Depeche Mode have reached digital download standard sound years before it exists; 1991's "Violator" is arguably the cleanest sounding record ever.
This really is a phenomenal song. I love it, and always will, and I guess, deep down, it probably is one of my favourite Depeche Mode tracks, even if it is one of the least experienced, cheapest sounding and first amongst many others.
★★★★★
Versions of "Ice Machine"
B-side Single Version (Cold) - 4:09
B-side Single Version (Fade) - 3:54
1980 Demo - 3:39