Dead Can Dance -‘Anastasis’ (PIAS)

Right from the opening bars of album opener ‘Children Of The Sun’ it is clear that the first album from Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard in sixteen years is a winner. Whilst the notion of ‘World Music’ is, frankly, rather naff, and more often than not, more than just a little patronising, this is an album that truly is global in its approach to sound.

Yet, the thing is, not only did they produce music that was jaw-dropping, they could write songs and produce work that was astonishingly easy to love. Sure, it might be hard to categorise them – they would appear on goth compilations, topped world music charts, and were signed to seminal arty indie label 4AD during the 1980s and 1990s -but that may just have been more about listeners trying to get a handle on a very special act.

‘Return Of The She-King’ manages to evoke Scottish folk, Gerrard’s soundtrack for Gladiator and with vocals from Perry that sound almost incantation like -but it’s never too clever, never leaves you feeling that this is music to be appreciated, rather than loved. It is both -and all the better for it.

Awesome, awesome stuff.

****1/2

Anastasis is out now on PIAS