I recently completed a retro electro-dance remix of Peace, Depeche Mode’s next single. They were running an official remix contest with Beatport.

Their new album has a very light, though nicely electronic sound to it. Apparently, Martin Gore has discovered eBay and is buying up vintage gear, which they then use for inspiration (very cool). I wanted to bring back some of the chunkier sound from the 80’s for this mix.

Some people have asked about the sound sources. It was a pretty simple mix once all parts were replayed.

The breakdown..

• Kick – Battery 3, random sample, LP filtered, compression and minor distortion from CamelPhat
• Hi-hat – Battery 3, TR-808
• Clap & dub sound – Battery 3, random samples, dub created with automated Tape Delay
• CR78 hat – Battery 3, provided with the DM remix kit
• Snare – Microtonic synth, Logic 8 Compressor, AD Vapor

• Intro bass – GForce Minimonsta Minimoog, custom patch (they provided a sample, didn’t use it)
• Primary bass – ES P, custom patch
• Distorted bass during hook – Sylenth1, custom patch

• Primary hook melody – Sylenth1, custom patch
• Arpeggio in hook, left side – Sylenth1, custom patch
• Sub-melody in hook, right side – EXS24, Kyodai Synth Collage (E-mu factory collection), fuzzed
• High broken/crying lead – Absynth 4, Desolation Pad
• Pre-hook lead – EXS24, Oboe, Proteus 2 Orch (E-mu factory collection)
• Verse synth stabs – TAL U-No-62, custom patch
• Verse synth globule – “Dark Chord” sample from remix kit
• Verse 2 intro synth – Sculpture
• Outro resonant lead – U-he Zebralette, custom patch based on “FEV SoftSoft”

The vocals have a little bit of AD Fluid, Space Designer reverb and Waves Ren Vox on them, but they were provided pre-mixed so this was just to “place” them in the mix.

I think that was about it! Did anyone else submit a remix?