Legendary Dutch dark-wave band Clan of Xymox have released their fifteenth studio album titled Matters of Mind, Body and Soul. Led by founding member Ronny Moorings, the band is one of the original dark-wave/gothic bands from the 1980’s receiving the most praise for the 1989 album Twist of Shadows. Remaining consistently full of dark sounds and moods Clan of Xymox continues to put out new and original material, whereas other bands around for over three decades usually release best-of or live albums. Now two years since their last album of cover songs titled Kindred Spirits, Moorings is back to bringing fans new tunes.
As always, since the early 1990s when Pieter Nooten and Anke Wolbert departed from the band, Ronny Moorings has written, recorded, and produced all music and lyrics of Clan of Xymox. The other live band members consist of Mojca Zugna, Mario Usai, and the latest addition Sean Göbel. Without any trouble, Moorings proves that dark-wave has not lost its relevance or charisma and it is all about how to present it.
The album opens with the six-minute intro of “Once in a Blue Moon”, which is a dramatic instrumental assuring with interesting effects. Directly following the song “She is Falling in Love” begins with an exciting sound which one could compare to Depeche Mode. “I Close My Eyes” enthralls with wonderful keyboards and the suffering vocals of Moorings, while “Loves on Diet” transfers you directly into the 1980s, carried by typical keyboard and electronica loops.
Moving along through the twelve-track album, “Kiss And Tell” is laced with depressing vocals and lyrics about love, keeping your attention through its dark mood. The song “Chinese Whisper” closes out the album and again like the opening shows up with only some spoken word, no vocals at all, and appears more like a very dark movie soundtrack.
In general, Matters of Mind, Body and Soul sounds like the true Clan of Xymox styling which made their music famous worldwide, flowing nicely from beginning to end. Without being influenced by trends, Moorings crafts a synth album with plenty of textures embellishments, and keyboards, paying tribute to Clan of Xymox’s 80’s and 90’s material. The album would perhaps be a genre milestone if released during that era. Gothic and dark-wave fans should definitely check out Matters of Mind, Body and Soul, and dedicated Clan of Xymox fans will simply love the moody soundscape. This is the type of album you can put on after a stressful day at work and simply unwind with tranquil dark tones. Cryptic Rock gives this album 4 out of 5 stars.
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