The darkest hour is over. Leipzig-based Goth pioneer Ronny Moorings has lead CLAN OF XYMOX through the valley of tears and braced himself for new deeds after his last, downright elegiac and hopeless Dark Wave manifesto “Darkest Hour”. It still is not exactly a lot of light looming at the distant end of the tunnel – but it is proof enough after this bleak album that every night, however dark it may be, is eventually followed by a new dawn.
This dawn has now arrived – and drags along “Kindred Spirits”, an exceptional new work from the realms of the Dutch scene founder and passionate artist. True to its title, Moorings did not exorcize a new CLAN OF XYMOX studio album, but assembled an intimate, strongly biographic collection of cover songs that has been compiled, recorded and visualized as passionate as was formerly only done with the legendary mixtapes of old. After a trip into the own musical past on “Darkest Hour”, now is the time for a travel back to the artists’ musical idols, influences and soul mates – and there is a lot to discover on the way!
“Kindred Spirits” assembles eleven cover versions, entirely played, sung and recorded by Ronny Moorings. And what a selection it is: “Blue Monday” by NEW ORDER, “Question Of Time” by DEPECHE MODE, “Decades” by JOY DIVISION, “A Forest” by THE CURE or “Alice” by THE SISTERS OF MERCY may be songs one would have expected on Ronny Mooring’s perennial playlist anyway; the manner in which he reawakens these tracks to a new CLAN OF XYMOX life, however, astounds and enthuses more than was deemed possible. Warm, organic, somewhere between wavy Electro and fog-clouded Goth Rock… these honorary tributes show a completely new side of CLAN OF XYMOX – and revive immortal classics as a pleasant side effect. More surprising is a song like RADIOHEAD’s “Creep” that even after the first listen sounds like a well-known CLAN OF XYMOX track and was most skillfully interpreted. Pieces from DAVID BOWIE (“Heroes”, of course), SHOCKING BLUE, DEPARTMENT S, NINE INCH NAILS as well as SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES (sung by Mojca Zunga) complete an extraordinary release brimful with emotion and nostalgia.
Not only the song selection proves that “Kindred Spirits” is far from a profane cover album – also the almost sacred character with which Ronny Moorings worked on this record stands for its special worth. The songs chosen are of great value to him, influenced him and doubtlessly helped him through the one or the other dark hour – in the same manner as the music of CLAN OF XYMOX did this for countless other people. “Kindred Spirits” is an album, as personal as an evening with Ronny Moorings and his record collection. A lesson in soulful music – seen through the eyes of a hopeless music lover.
