As a fan of Simian Mobile Disco, I was excited to hear what James Ford would deliver on this record. I was hoping for something a little purer and possibly less 'rock' than recent albums. Alas nothing substantial changed and, as good as the production is, it isn't a million miles away from what Ben Hillier delivered on the three previous albums.
Opening track "Going Backwards" is a promising introduction that manages to skirt on the right side of the distorted guitar versus melodic synthesizer battle. I have about 12 remixes of this song on my hard drive and none of them quite hit the mark.
As the album progresses, everything is run-of-the-mill until we hit "You Move" which is a rare Gore/Gahan co-write. This song shines out like a synthpop beacon in a sea of mediocrity. "Cover Me" is another quality track that drips with atmosphere until half way through when a glorious synth arpeggio and kick drum take it into the stratosphere.
I'm not impressed by the mournful "Eternal" which seems to conform to the blueprint of meandering blues tracks that Martin churns out recently. "So Much Love" has a pulse but doesn't inspire. The remaining three tracks are instantly forgettable and they come and go to my complete apathy. As much as I have enjoyed the music of Depeche Mode over the years, I didn't buy "Spirits In The Forest" and after this outing, I will debate purchasing a new studio album should one emerge. 2/5
