Artist Playlists
-
Operating at the nexus of goth and dream-pop, Cocteau Twins were synonymous with doomed romanticism and fragile beauty for a certain type of teenager in the '80s. One of the cornerstone groups on UK independent label 4AD Records, Cocteau Twins were too opaque to ever cross over to a mainstream audience, forging a sense of ownership within their indie fans that made the band even more beloved to fans. Most well-known for Elisabeth Fraser's falsetto and often wordless warbling–she often functioned as an instrument more than a vocal presence–never more beautifully than on "Lorelei." The group's Wall of Sound-style production and textural approach to music was a key influence on the shoegazer sound that emerged in the late '80s. - The Cocteau Twins have inspired many indie acts with their mix of otherworldly vocals and atmospheric soundscapes that morphed from gritty post-punk to crystalline dream pop. Shoegazers Slowdive and Lush draw upon Robin Guthrie's guitar work, while Björk, Harriet Wheeler of The Sundays, and Jónsi Birgisson of Sigur Rós emulate Elizabeth Fraser's amazing, often operatic vocals.
- Only Cocteau Twins could make “Frosty the Snowman” ecstatic and iridescent. Such rarities flesh out an evolution from sepulchral gloom to starlit bliss, as do singer Elizabeth Fraser's guest appearances, like her spellbinding turn amid sax and piano on Dif Juz's "Love Insane." Sweeter than the better-known "Song to the Siren," This Mortal Coil's "Another Day" weaves her a billowing bed of strings.
- Cocteau Twins invented a spellbinding mix of post-punk rhythms, ambient swirl, and angelic vocals unique to them. But you can hear hints of their aquatic atmospheres in Siouxsie & The Banshees' “Cascade,” and Kate Bush anticipates Elizabeth Fraser's bright beam of a soprano. Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir's ethereal harmonies evoke similar otherworldly chills.