Three years after their first collaboration, Dave Gahan & Soulsavers are back together on Angels & Ghosts. Much like their last collection (2012's The Light the Dead See), they craft a comforting set of blues- and gospel-tinged slow-burners for wandering dusty roads and lonely deserts at dusk. Unlike their debut, which was released solely under the Soulsavers name, Angels & Ghosts splits the credit with Dave Gahan, whose name tops the billing. The connection of the Soulsavers' downtempo soundscapes and the kick of Gahan's magnetic charm produce beautiful results. Whereas The Light the Dead See was a simple addition of Gahan's lyrics to the Soulsavers' music, this is a fully cohesive collaboration, with both artists sharing songwriting credits on all songs.
For Depeche Mode fans, this album fits nicely alongside Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion, creating that same cowboy throwback vibe without the clutter of industrial beats and synths (likewise, one could imagine the gloom and ache of Ultra without Martin Gore's atmospherics). Side by side with their first attempt at teamwork, this sophomore effort is more fully realized and actually sounds like a singular vision rather than a cut-and-paste collaboration. A1 Shine 3:40 A2 You Owe Me 4:22 A3 Tempted 4:19 A4 All Of This And Nothing 4:17 B1 One Thing 4:40 B2 Don't Cry 4:43 B3 Lately 4:32 B4 The Last Time 3:57 B5 My Sun 3:59
