Halo

The song Halo by Depeche Mode, composed by Martin Gore, stands out for its unique sonic atmosphere. At the beginning, it greets us with a sound that evokes monkey chants and a musicalization that refers to the jungle, before giving way to synthesizer modulations and a melody built with samplers, including the characteristic deep notes of Alan Wilder's keyboard. The lyrics, sung by David Gahan alongside Martin Gore, address the idea that even in the face of destruction and the fall of barriers, the experience may have been worthwhile, conveying a nuance of melancholy. The most striking aspect of Halo is its musicalization, which recalls the experimentalism of progressive rock from its early days, fusing unconventional sounds to create a melody that, while it might suggest an inclination towards electronic jazz, avoids falling into free improvisation patterns.

Released on the 1990 album Violator, Halo was not released as a regular single, although it did have a promotional release in the United Kingdom and the United States. This release aimed to complement the great success the album was achieving. The song generated diverse opinions among critics, largely due to its unclassifiable arrangement. Some described it as elegant, others as seductive, and many saw it as an original fusion. The promotional video, directed by Anton Corbijn, was filmed exclusively and appeared in the collection *Strange Too* that same year. In it, David Gahan plays a strongman in a circus who has a relationship with a clown, played by Martin Gore, who in turn has a romance with another clown. The story explores loss and the search for happiness. Alan Wilder and Andrew Fletcher appear as show accompanists, without leading roles in the narrative. Anton Corbijn is also shown in the video feeding a donkey. Later, during the Delta Machine Tour, a background projection by Corbijn was used, showing a model wandering through Berlin, framed by a triangle representing the halo.