This Mortal Coil – Blood – Vinyl, LP, Reissue, 4AD, 2018

180gm #vinyl LP pressing. The inspiration of Ivo Watts-Russell, This Mortal Coil emerged in the early-80s when the post-punk scene was splintering in exciting new ways and Ivo’s then-fledgling record label 4AD was in the thick of it all. This Mortal Coil were not a band per se, never performing live, rather a collaboration of musicians, with both Ivo and co-producer John Fryer the only constants while the cast rotated. Experimentation was rife over three albums, they produced a heady mix of original works, musical links and reinterpretations of impeccably curated songs; helping to introduce a new audience to the talents of a previous generation, including Big Star, Tim Buckley, Roy Harper, Spirit, Gene Clark, Dino Valenti, Rain Parade, Emmylou Harris, Syd Barrett and Colin Newman. Intriguing, almost amorphous, the ethereal qualities of This Mortal Coil were further enhanced by the stunning artwork that ran throughout the project – with the mysterious figure of Pallas Citroën adorning each album cover, making her the project’s de facto face.