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 darkwave manifesto, "Darkest Hour". There is still 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.
"Kindred Spirits" assembles eleven cover versions, played, sung and recorded entirely by Ronny. 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 and "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 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 to CLAN OF XYMOX – and revive immortal classics as a pleasant side-effect. More surprising is a song like RADIOHEAD's "Creep", that even from the first listen sounds like a well-known CLAN OF XYMOX track and has been 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.
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