Martin Gore and Cliff Damavandi share ‘Cross Whisper’ remixes by ANNA and Vera Grace
Martin Gore and Cliff Damavandi share two remixes of “Cross Whisper” by ANNA and Vera Grace, ahead of a 12″ vinyl release on Mute on December 4, 2026.
Depeche Mode founding member Martin Gore and artist and lyricist Cliff Damavandi have shared two remixes of their single “Cross Whisper”, released as MG x CD + JL = with vocals from Gore’s daughter, Johnnie Lee. Lisbon-based Brazilian artist ANNA and Dutch DJ and modular synthesist Vera Grace each contributed a remix, out now on Mute ahead of a 12″ vinyl pressing of the single on December 4, 2026.
ANNA, who has previously remixed Depeche Mode and Martin Gore, describes her remix as resonating with playful positivity: “This remix came together after I had just spent five days at Ozora Festival, dancing, connecting with people and getting so inspired by the music, powerful grooves and energy there. I came back really excited to get into the studio and create something on that psychedelic vibe. And then Martin’s stems arrived, fitting perfectly with what I had in mind. I made the remix so quickly and had so much fun doing it! I was dancing and jumping around the studio while creating it.” Vera Grace took the track in a different direction: “I enjoy a challenge, especially when it pushes me outside my comfort zone. This was definitely one of those moments. The vocals and the different elements in the original track gave me a lot of room to experiment and play around with different ideas. I built several distinct parts, eventually bringing them together into one piece: a section driven by chords, and another where atmospheric bleeps drift through the drums, taking me in a different direction from what I usually explore in my techno productions.”
The forthcoming 12″ vinyl adds remixes from techno artist, DJ and label head Regis, British hauntologist Pye Corner Audio (Martin Jenkins) and boothnavy alongside the ANNA and Vera Grace versions, spread across both sides with the original track. “Cross Whisper” opens with whispered voices that give way to Gore’s synths. The song grew out of a story Gore has told about birds appearing around the deaths of people and pets close to him. Damavandi wrote the lyrics after hearing Gore recount it. The pre-order for the vinyl is available via Mute.
About Martin Gore and Cliff Damavandi
Martin Gore is a songwriter, electronic composer and founding member of Depeche Mode, and has released solo and collaborative material on Mute alongside his work with the band. Cliff Damavandi is an artist and lyricist who wrote the words to “Cross Whisper” after Gore shared the story behind the song. The pair released ‘Cross Whisper’ as MG x CD + JL = on October 20, 2026, with vocals from Gore’s daughter Johnnie Lee. The ANNA and Vera Grace remixes, together with the additional versions arriving on the December 4 vinyl pressing, extend that single into a full remix project on Mute.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!
