Perhaps one of the best Motown tributes ever done, "Policy of Truth" finds
Depeche Mode embracing the same sort of late-'60s slow groove that made songs like "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" such a winner, only retooled to the band's own ends. With a sharp, stabbing beat leading the way,
David Gahan's delivery of a sharp
Martin Gore lyric of emotional betrayal is accompanied by deep, funky synth bass, subtle guitars, and mysterious drones and horn section-styled keyboard backing. With a chorus featuring a wheezing, aggro harmonica sound, and concluding with simple but effective roars of feedback rising through the mix, it's another monster from
Violator. Besides the slightly re-jigged single mix, featuring a different intro and one or two slight changes from the album version, this EP includes three other mixes.
François Kevorkian, who handled similar jobs for the Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence EPs, once again steps to the fore with two of said mixes. The "Capitol" mix picks up on the overt soul/funk groove of the song to play around more with similar beats as well as some classic disco action for the synth era, not to mention a playful sample here and there. The most surprising mix is at the end -- the "Trancentral" version, done by none other than legendary U.K. chart/dance jokers the KLF. There's none of that band's trademark humor at play, but it's still a good, straight-ahead remodeling. The one original track here is the instrumental, "Kaleid," originally released as a free cassette gift to disappointed L.A. fans when a record-store signing session turned into a riot due to overcrowding. The version here is a remix of that version -- while not deathless, it's a different number from the band's usual instrumental work in that it's a full-on dance piece, definitely inspired by the early-'90s techno scene and its trademark abbreviated riffs. ~ Ned Raggett