Nostalgia Alternative

Written by Alex Enigma (July 10th, 2020)

The first of this month marks the 35th anniversary of the release of one of darkwave’s most definitive group’s full-length self-titled debut, Clan of Xymox. For those unfamiliar with the term, “Darkwave” (or dark wave) is considered the melancholic, minor key counterpart to new wave, and an offshoot of goth rock, with an entirely more synth-driven sound. And Clan of Xymox absolutely pioneered that sound. 

With the release of their upcoming record Spider on the Wall scheduled for the 24th of July this year, I decided I would use this post to introduce those unfamiliar, to the beauty and darkness that is Xymox, so that when I review the new record (which I’m beyond excited for, by the way!!) I can hopefully bring in some new fans to enjoy it with! And if you’re a longtime fan like myself, hopefully this post will get you as excited for the new record as I am!

While I love so many of Xymox’s albums, since it was the first I ever heard from them, and its anniversary this month, I will mostly be talking about their 1985 self-titled debut. And what a debut it was! I can still remember the first time I ever heard the opening notes of the first track, “A Day”, come droning through my speakers… It was a strange feeling that came over me… I wanted to cry and dance at the same time. The over 2 minute long instrumental opening got my feet tapping, and my mind mesmerized. When front-man and lead vocalist Ronny Moorings’ voice comes in… I’m entranced. That trance carried through until the end of the record, and I was hooked ever since. 

However, I think it was “No Words” that first stole my heart. A somehow more upbeat synth sets the scene here…sounding cold yet pretty, like slow-falling snow. Ronny sings beautifully… If it were possible for a voice to “glow” I would say his does. His words are obscure and poetic, but I’ve always had my own vivid interpretation of what he’s describing. I imagine, from the singer’s perspective, going out at night and seeing someone from afar at a dance club, dancing with someone else. They stare back at you, smiling, seemingly interested… but neither one of you is brave enough to approach the other… so nothing ever comes of it. Something many of us shy, hopeless romantics can relate to, eh? To this day it is still one of my favorites from Xymox. You can listen to it for yourself below~ 

Following “Stranger” in the track listing, is what has become my favorite Clan of Xymox track of all-time. “Equal Ways” is an often overlooked, lesser-known song from Xymox- but it shouldn’t be. It may be in part because it is nestled between “Stranger” and another absolute bass-driven banger, “7th Time” (the lone track where Anka Wolbert sings lead). It starts off calm but chilling, slow synths waltzing through… and again Ronny’s words are cryptic… It seems as though it is an existential crisis anthem, with the subject of the lyrics pondering his own existence and purpose. “Scarlet hour rises and falls, I won’t ever stop wondering, I won’t ever stop wandering”… Saying that even though we are not sure what we’re doing here, we must keep wandering, and muddling through this life, because what other choice to we have? “We turn in equal ways, so let’s live in equal days”, unites us in despair, letting listeners know this is all of our burden to bear. Needless to say, I think it’s incredibly powerful and compelling, and brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it still. I was fortunate enough to have the (awkward and embarrassing…) pleasure of telling Ronny it was my favorite Xymox song, when I met him for a few seconds after their show at Thalia Hall in Chicago, last year. I hope he appreciated it! Please check out “Equal Ways” below, if you think you’re ready.

Rounding out the end of side two and marking the end of the album is the yearning, desperate cry to feel something in “No Human Can Drown”. It is saying let’s believe “no human can drown”, just for a moment, and think about what it would be like if we could live without fear. It is like a part two to “Equal Ways” existentialism, but with a newfound drive to feel love, despite the burden of life… Or at least that’s what I get out of it! You can of course come up with your own interpretations. 

And that’s Clan of Xymox’s debut album, in a strangely-shaped nutshell! If you liked what you heard and read so far, please check out the entire album start to finish, and then move on to the rest of their discography (a good follow-up is their second album Medusa)! And keep your eyes out for Xymox’s new record Spider on the Wall, coming out in the next few weeks, and my eminent review of it! So excited to finally get to review a NEW album! Wow!! Thank you for reading, and as always, you can find the full album in on Spotify!