Pitchfork

The time is almost here for former Depeche Mode lead singer Dave Gahan's second solo album, Hourglass. After the dark synths and lofty existential queries of first single "Kingdom", the latest track posted to Gahan's MySpace, "Deeper and Deeper", could almost be said to lighten the mood. A nagging distorted synth repeats an industrial-tinged riff as Gahan's regal baritone stretches into a hissing, throaty growl.

Combined with the aggressive electronic arrangement and pummeling beats, Gahan's lyrics read like a censored version of Nine Inch Nails, if not exactly Spank Rock. "I'm gonna have you when I want to/ I'm gonna take you, that's what I like," he sings. Aw, what's a little non-consensual sex between friends? Apparently this come-on actually works, at least well enough to get a few MySpace responses. There's a note helpfully advising: "You are NOT messaging Dave. You are messaging his webmaster."

Stream:> Dave Gahan: "Deeper and Deeper"
[from Hourglass, due 10/22/07 in the UK and 10/23/07 in the U.S. on Mute]