This Mortal Coil

About This Mortal Coil

Masterminded by 4AD Records head Ivo Watts-Russell, This Mortal Coil was a dream-pop project that featured significant contributions by many of the U.K. label’s key acts, particularly Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance. While the collective’s first album, 1984’s IT’LL END IN TEARS, presented dark, ornate original tracks by musicians from those groups, it also featured a number of atmospheric and inventive cover tunes, as best exemplified by a gorgeous take on Tim Buckley’s “Song to the Siren” with Cocteaus Twins’ Liz Fraser on vocals. This Mortal Coil’s two subsequent albums stuck to the same template as TEARS, albeit with slightly less compelling results and fewer recognizable performers.