DEAD CAN DANCE @ 40

 

Released on February 27th, 1984, the debut eponymous LP from Dead Can Dance is turning 40 years old today. Though its style is less representative of the direction their music would take on subsequent releases, the essence of their style was coming into bloom.

The group began life in Melbourne, Australia in 1981, initially taking shape as a fairly conventional four piece band, complete with bass, drums and guitars. The group migrated to the UK in May of 1982 and, once settled, managed to secure a contract with 4AD Records, who were just beginning to establish themselves with Gothic "dream pop" bands like Cocteau Twins, a sound that was very much in line with Dead Can Dance's initial manifestation.

The musicians who performed on the album were Brendan Perry (vocals & guitar), Lisa Gerrard (vocals & percussion), Paul Erikson (bass), Peter Ulrich (drums & percussion), James Pinker and Scott Roger. The most exotic instrument used was Lisa's yangqin, which is a Chinese stringed instrument similar to a hammer dulcimer. Though the group were labelled "Goth" by the press based on the perception that they were preoccupied with macabre themes, the label was denied by the band, who had conceived of their name as a far more positive symbol of bringing life to the inanimate, infusing their work with an energy of renewal. This, however, didn't stop critics from labelling their debut "as goth as it gets."

After their debut, the group would pair down to the core duo of Perry & Gerrard, with any additional instrumental duties the duo weren't able to perform themselves being provided by session players and guests. Their sound would also move away from any vestigial connections to "rock" music, incorporating elements of classical, folk and a variety of world music influences to create their distinctive, evocative sounds.