Coil — Music To Play In The Dark Vol 1

As of writing, the posthumous dissection of Coils discography and archives has begun after the untimely but not entirely surprising death of founding member Jhonn Balance. When looking back at the career of Balance and Coil the Music to play in the dark series stands outs as one of their finest and most important works. It signified the full transformation from noisy industrial influenced soundscapests to otherworldly explorers of the sonic unknown that had been occurring since the mid nineties and releases like the Equinox/Solstice series. A rather pithy description I know but those interested in Coils history should seek out David Keenan’s England’s hidden reverse book.

The CD begins in impressive style with Are you shivering? A mass of oppressive synth drones descend on your speakers as you hit the play button. But quickly subside revealing a surreal hiccupping soundscape where Balance’s voice chatters as if shivering while bleeping chirping electronics flicker all around. Soon the drones return sounding like overdriven guitars and electronically generated thunder. Balances voice comes out of the ether like a white clad prophet speaking an apocalyptic monologue about rivers of silver. The lyrics really are mesmerizing, and as the choir like synths join in behind the mass of otherworldly sound you are left to slowly fall back into the dark pool of magic sound that is Are you shivering?

The second track is a change in gear from the first, being a more straight forward electronica piece with a little hint of a Tangerine dream influence. Lots of complex rhythms and harmonies but perhaps lacking the magic of the album opener.  Red queen is a stand out track on an album of gems. It features more warped hiccupping electronics to begin with before Balances treated voice comes in like distant waves. Unnerving it is as the words slide across the speakers unintelligible but gripping. The metallic rhythms start up and Thighpaulsandras stunning improvised piano bursts into life. A slow throbbing piece now builds around the piano and Balances voice, displaying both Thighpaulsandras ability to play spectral like improvisations and Balances perfected spoken word style. A truly brilliant piece.

Track four is Broccoli, not a particular favourite of mine. Constructed around deep bass throbs more glitch electronics and surprisingly Sleazy’s vocals. Lamenting on the death of our parents through memories of strange pieces of advice. E.g. eat your greens, especially broccoli.
Strange birds is an interesting piece that immerses itself in the glitch electronics used throughout the album to create a dense sound world of clicks and pops through which field recordings of birds squeeze through. Finally Balance warns us that one day our eggs are going to hatch and some very strange birds are going to immerge. A typically imaginative and unorthodox track from Coil. The final track harks back slightly to Are you shivering but this time uses bass rhythms and tinkling keyboards. More angelic choir and great vocals from Balance as he explores a familiar concept for Coil, that of the dreamer being still asleep. Like much of the album it’s an understated and powerful piece that seems to fill the room as it weaves it’s subtle tale. A great end to what is without doubt one of Coils finest achievements. As Balance says, this is moon music in the light of the moon.