Martin Gore and Vince Clarke – founder members of Depeche Mode – are so to release the first music they’ve made together since 1981.

Calling themselves VCMG, the duo are focussing their energies on producing techno tracks, due to see release across a series of EPs and an album, all on Mute. The first, a 5-track affair entitled Spock, is due out on vinyl and digital on December 13.

Gore and Clarke met in 1980, formed a band with Andy Fletcher called Composition Of Sound; with the subsequent recruitment of singer Dave Gahan, the band became Depeche Mode. Clarke left Depeche in ’81, shortly after the release of debut album Speak And Spell (for which he wrote many of the songs, including ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’; he went on to enjoy great success with Yazoo and Erasure). After Clarke’s departure Gore became, and has remained ever since, principal songwriter for the ‘Mode – penning the likes of ‘Personal Jesus’ and ‘Enjoy The Silence’.

Of the formation of VCMG, Gore says: “Out of the blue I got an e-mail from Vince just saying, ‘I’m interested in making a techno album. Are you interested in collaborating?’ This was maybe a year ago. He said, ‘No pressure, no deadlines,’ so I said, ‘OK,’ and that’s what we’ve been doing the last six months.”

The album has already been recorded and is due out in early 2012. The Spock EP features five versions of the title track: the original and remixes by Regis, Edit Select, DVS1 and XOQ.

Tracklist:
1. Spock (Album version)
2. Spock (Edit Select remix)
3. Spock (Regis remix)
4. Spock (DVS1 Voyage Home remix)
5. Spock (XOQ remix)