Aion [PA]

Performer: Dead Can Dance
Producer: Dead Can Dance
Distributor: Alternative Dis. Alliance

Notes: Dead Can Dance: Lisa Gerrard, Brendan Perry (vocals, various instruments). Audio Remasterer: Neal Harris. The music of Dead Can Dance has long been a favorite of the "Goth" crowd; however, AION is really the first one of the band's records that can actually be called Gothic in the classic, renaissance sense. Arguably Dead Can Dance's most successful record, it contains the band's most consistent set of songs since SPLEEN AND IDEAL. Widening their view to encompass more of the ancient world than with earlier records, Dead Can Dance explore styles from Northern Europe ("The Song of the Sibyl") to the Middle East ("Radharc"), with stops along the way at a number of other surprising locations. The fact that it is based on a 16th-century Catalan chant notwithstanding, portions of "The Song of the Sibyl" are eerily reminiscent of the experimental side of David Bowie's LOW. Standouts include "Saltarello," which was adapted from a 14th-century Italian dance and played on bagpipes, drums, and tambourine; "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book," where even Brendan Perry's English-language vocals sound ancient; and "Wilderness," an a cappella song with a multi-tracked vocal by Lisa Gerrard. AION makes for great late-night listening, though it is the kind of music that is barbed enough to demand your attention.

Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard formed Dead Can Dance in the early 1980s in Australia, moving to London before the release of their self-titled debut in '84. Their unique sound bore a dark, gothic feel, but was far more idiosyncratic than that of the goth-rock hordes. Over the years they incorporated Early Music, electronics, Celtic flavors, and various World Music touches, all held together by the pair's trademark vocal blend. Dead Can Dance split up on a high note following their 1996 album SPIRITCHASER, with Perry and Gerrard both going on to solo work, and the latter singing on numerous film soundtracks.

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