Martin Gore, the songwriter and founding member of Depeche Mode, has a new single out today. "Cross Whisper" arrived on October 20, 2026 on Mute, and it comes from a new project Gore shares with the artist and lyricist Cliff Damavandi and the vocalist Johnnie Lee. The project name is written as a little equation, MG x CD + JL =, which is simply the three sets of initials added together.
The song runs five minutes and 46 seconds, and the official credits list the writing to Martin Gore and Cliff Damavandi. Mute files it under electronic music, which is the lane Gore has worked in on his own for more than a decade. You can stream or download "Cross Whisper" on your preferred service now.
What the song is about
The idea behind the single is old and quiet. In the project's own description, birds have long been seen in ancient mythology as messengers between the living and the dead, carrying whispers across the unknown. "Cross Whisper" was inspired by the mysterious appearance of blackbirds during moments of loss and grief, and it explores the connections that stay with us after someone is gone.
That theme shows up right on the cover. The artwork is almost empty: a sheet of textured white paper, the project's initials written by hand in one corner, and a single dark bird caught mid flight in the other. It is a spare image for a spare idea, and it suits a song about what is left unsaid.
The video
The official video was directed by Luca Bailey and filmed in Japan and England. It premiered on Mute's own channel on release day, so it is the best place to hear the track in full before you decide which format you want.
Vinyl and digital
"Cross Whisper" is out now as a one track digital single, listed on Apple Music and the other major services. Mute is also taking orders for a limited edition long-playing (LP) vinyl record. You can preorder the limited edition vinyl through the official link. The label has not announced how many copies are in the run, so if you collect Gore's side projects on wax, earlier is safer than later.
Where it fits
Gore has a habit of stepping outside Depeche Mode with initials rather than his full name. He released the instrumental album MG on Mute on April 27, 2015, a 16 track record he wrote and produced in his home studio in Santa Barbara after the Delta Machine tour. At the time he said he wanted to keep the music very electronic and very filmic, with an almost sci-fi quality. He chose the MG name to give the vocal-free record its own persona, carrying on the idea from VCMG, his 2012 duo album with Vince Clarke.
MG x CD + JL = pushes that habit one step further. This time the initials belong to a trio, the record has a voice, and the subject is grief instead of pure atmosphere. It is a quieter side of a writer best known for some of the biggest songs in synth pop, and it lands on the same label that has been home to Depeche Mode since the very start.
Our call
This one is Surfacing. A brand new Martin Gore collaboration, out today on Mute, with an official video and a limited vinyl pressing already up for preorder. Play the video first, then lock in the record if it connects.
New to the label? Start with our Mute Records starter guide. Want to read deeper? Try our list of the best books about electronic music, or browse our gifts for producers and synth heads.
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Listen to Cross Whisper · Preorder the vinyl · Watch the video
