Twist of Shadows
Encyclopedia
Twist of Shadows is Xymox's third full-length album, released in 1989 on Wing Records (PolyGram)
and produced by Peter Walsh (acclaimed producer of Simple Minds
's New Gold Dream album).
The album captured Billboard's 'Hot Shot Debut" honor and charted in the United States at #165 on the Billboard 200
. Twist of Shadows launched several charting singles in the United States. In March 1989 "Obsession" shot up to #16 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. By June 1989 it had also reached #12 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs (also known as Club Play Singles, and formerly known as Hot Dance Club Play). The second single, "Blind Hearts", reached #9 on the Dance Music/Club Play chart. The third single taken from the album, "Imagination" (with Anka Wolbert on lead vocals) reached #85 on Billboard Hot 100
and remains Xymox's biggest commercial success to date.
Anka Wolbert reflected in an interview in 2005: "The ‘old’ Xymox was always a combination and working together of three individuals: Ronny, Pieter Nooten, and myself. To me, Xymox was never one of them by themselves, and I consistently believed in the strength of the artistic combination of us three. There was a magical energy between us which resulted in some great music."
, Twist of Shadows signified the most sophisticated stage in the band's gradual evolution from arty obscurity into pop accessibility. Billboard claimed the album, along with the followup Phoenix
(1991), had lifted the band to cult status in the United States. The album had mixed reviews. While SPIN
praised the album and called it "still ethereal, big and foreboding", Trouser Press
found the album "easily endurable" but labeled the band "just another lightweight electronic dance band of the post-romantic era".
Although Twist of Shadows wasn't exactly considered industrial in its sound, the bpm's run mid-tempo and sound made it totally danceable in a New Order-ish way. The Great Indie Discography found the album "decidedly dated...stuck in a mid-80s groove", while the St. Petersburg Times
looked back at Twist of Shadows as "brilliant...[w]ith a dense, almost Gothic sound that borrowed as heavily from Pink Floyd as it did modern techno-popsters".
Additional musicians
Producers, Engineers
Graphic Design
Wing Records
Wing Records was a record label subsidiary of Mercury Records, founded in 1955, that enjoyed its greatest success during the late 50s. In 1986, the label was revived by Mercury's parent company PolyGram and, just before its final fade, the label enjoyed a brief success with then new R&B singers...
and produced by Peter Walsh (acclaimed producer of Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
's New Gold Dream album).
The album captured Billboard's 'Hot Shot Debut" honor and charted in the United States at #165 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. Twist of Shadows launched several charting singles in the United States. In March 1989 "Obsession" shot up to #16 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. By June 1989 it had also reached #12 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs (also known as Club Play Singles, and formerly known as Hot Dance Club Play). The second single, "Blind Hearts", reached #9 on the Dance Music/Club Play chart. The third single taken from the album, "Imagination" (with Anka Wolbert on lead vocals) reached #85 on Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and remains Xymox's biggest commercial success to date.
Songwriting credits
Contrary to official songwriting credits (see Track listing below), lead singer and frontman Ronny Moorings told Premonition in a 2003 interview that he "always wrote the music and the words [him]self since the beginning of Clan Of Xymox in 1984". Pieter Nooten, who last contributed to Xymox with this album, said differently in 2010 that the members of the band had from the start collaborated in songwriting, with Moorings contributing guitar,keyboards and lyrics; Nooten specifically claimed credit for composing Twists "Clementina". Also in 2010, Bert Barten claimed to have shared authorship for songs on Twist of Shadows, asserting "It was always a big grey area who wrote what and who inspired who. All the members even the manager at that time used to fight a lot about things like this."Anka Wolbert reflected in an interview in 2005: "The ‘old’ Xymox was always a combination and working together of three individuals: Ronny, Pieter Nooten, and myself. To me, Xymox was never one of them by themselves, and I consistently believed in the strength of the artistic combination of us three. There was a magical energy between us which resulted in some great music."
Reception
According to SPINSpin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, Twist of Shadows signified the most sophisticated stage in the band's gradual evolution from arty obscurity into pop accessibility. Billboard claimed the album, along with the followup Phoenix
Phoenix (Clan of Xymox album)
Phoenix is Xymox's fourth full-length album, released in 1991 on Wing Records and produced by .The album charted in the United States at No. 163 on Billboard 200....
(1991), had lifted the band to cult status in the United States. The album had mixed reviews. While SPIN
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
praised the album and called it "still ethereal, big and foreboding", Trouser Press
Trouser Press
Trouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
found the album "easily endurable" but labeled the band "just another lightweight electronic dance band of the post-romantic era".
Although Twist of Shadows wasn't exactly considered industrial in its sound, the bpm's run mid-tempo and sound made it totally danceable in a New Order-ish way. The Great Indie Discography found the album "decidedly dated...stuck in a mid-80s groove", while the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
looked back at Twist of Shadows as "brilliant...[w]ith a dense, almost Gothic sound that borrowed as heavily from Pink Floyd as it did modern techno-popsters".
Track listing
Personnel
Xymox- Ronny Moorings – Vocals, Lyrics, Guitar, Keyboards
- Anka Wolbert – Vocals, Lyrics, Keyboards, Bass
- Pieter Nooten – Keyboards
Additional musicians
- Will Anvers – Drums
- Tony ViscontiTony ViscontiAnthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
– Arranger, String arrangements (Track 07 and 10) - Arditti QuartetArditti QuartetThe Arditti Quartet is a string quartet founded in 1974. The quartet is associated particularly with contemporary music.-Early history:The quartet was founded in 1974 by violinist Irvine Arditti together with John Senter, Levine Andrade and Lenox Mackenzie...
– Strings (Track 07 and 10) - Elisa Richard – Vocals (Background, Track 04)
Producers, Engineers
- Peter Walsh – Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Vocals (Background)
- Greg Walsh – Additional Production
- Martyn Heyes – Assistant Engineer
- Donal Hodgson – Assistant Engineer
Graphic Design
- Vaughan OliverVaughan OliverVaughan Oliver is a British graphic designer based in Epsom, South of London. Oliver is most noted for his work with graphic design studios 23 Envelope and v23...
– Graphic Design - Richard McMillan – Photomicrography