moggydon
Great to see this issued. I'd spent so long with only my copy of Hidden Faces that I'd almost forgotten how excellent their other stuff was.
Favorite track: Stranger.
Dark Entries reunites with longtime idols Xymox, also known as Clan of Xymox, to reissue their Peel Sessions. Xymox was founded in Nijmegen, Netherlands in 1983 by Ronny Moorings and Anka Wolbert, who were joined shortly by Frank Weyzig and Pieter Nooten. Melding the synthesizer-driven experiments of post-punk and New Wave with the doom-laden atmospherics of the burgeoning goth rock scene, Xymox were one of the key progenitors of dark wave. The success of their 1983 debut EP, Subsequent Pleasures (reissued by Dark Entries in 2014) paved the way for a string of epochal releases on 4AD, where they honed their lush, despairing sound. Following their 1985 debut LP, Clan of Xymox, DJ and tastemaker John Peel invited them to BBC studios to record for his Radio 1 show. These recordings were released in 2001 via the Strange Fruit label on CD and are now available here for the first time on vinyl and digital formats.
Side A of Peel Sessions was recorded on June 4, 1985 at Maida Vale 5. Ronny and Anka recount facing anxiety and technical difficulties that day, with their complicated MIDI routing and a necessary plug conversion eating into their scant studio time. But their craft shines on these recordings, unmarred by the stressful circumstances. A reverb-drenched rendition of “Stranger”, the brooding hit single from Clan of Xymox, opens the record. “Muscoviet Mosquito”, a cult number from Subsequent Pleasure, follows. It is reworked here in a more robust fashion, similar to the version that would appear on the 1987 Lonely is an Eyesore compilation. Anka’s vocals take center stage on side closer “Seventh Time”, allegedly the song that charmed John Peel. Side B was recorded during a second Peel session on November 3, 1985, and illustrates the band’s continued development with three tracks that would appear on their 1986 album Medusa. “After the Call” was written and sung by Pieter Nooten, and has subtle echoes of Morricone amidst its proto-shoegaze drone. “Agonised by Love” and “Mesmerize”, which would later be retitled “Medusa”, both point towards the smoother, softer anguish that would characterize their sophomore LP.
All songs were remastered by George Horn at Fantasy studios. The sleeve, by Eloise Leigh, evokes classic Vaughn Oliver designs for 4AD, and features a photograph of the band mid-performance.
Anka Wolbert: Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
Ronny Moorings: Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Pieter Nooten: Keyboards, Vocals
Frank Weizig: Keyboards, Guitar
Peter Haartsen: Guitar, Special Effects, Tapes, Saxophone
All songs written by Wolbert/ Nooten/ Moorings
Except After The Call written by Nooten
Stranger, Muscoviet Mosquito, Seventh Time recorded June 4, 1985 at Maida Vale 5, first broadcast June 17, 1985
Engineered by Mike Robinson
Produced by Mark Radcliffe
After The Call, Agonised By Love, Mesmerised recorded November 3, 1985 at Maida Vale 5, first broadcast November 13, 1985
Engineered by Mike Shilling
Produced by Dale Griffin
Remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios 2020
Layout and Design Eloise Leigh
I bought the 12 inch single for Bela Lugosi’s Dead at Fred’s records in St. John’s, Newfoundland in the eighties and it remained a treasured item in my collection until it was lost, left behind, stolen, loaned out, whatever. I accepted that that item was lost to time and likely irreplaceable. Hence my utter shock to see that I will once again hear this evocative masterwork on vinyl along with an extra three tracks. I recall Boys was included on the B-side of that long list single. Thank you! skritti
Cinematic-scale goth from Reflection Black with catchy melodies, dreamy synths, punchy rhythms, and a sense of timelessness. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 21, 2023
A killer re-release of a rare solo post-punk LP from 1988 by the frontman of Taste of Decay and Garden of Pleasures. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 17, 2022
Stunning album and artist. Dark love. The best dark vibes in genre. I prefer the first works because they are darker than the last. We're waiting for her come back. Get well soon. raulmori