Cocteau Twins
Treasure

THE REVIEW

"Treasure" is recognized as one of the fundamental albums of the New Wave.

Dream Pop is its field of action, yet it often transcends it in favor of a total music experience. The dark and gothic influences are evident, and the extraordinary musical richness is perfectly balanced between ethereal moments and others more delightfully "human." There is no encyclopedic ambition; everything that emerges from the album is pure emotion transposed into music. Nothing is truly premeditated; rather, the sounds emerge from the essence of the tracks themselves and from what they aim to express.

It begins with the intense "Ivo", one of the most incisive tracks on the album. Elizabeth Fraser enchants us with her soaring and hypnotic singing, but it’s the sound wave that wraps us that captivates. The acoustic guitar is soon complemented by a true tide of sounds. Bells, echoes, the distant distorted guitar. Thus, we have a sound that is full, exuberant, and lush. All this richness lays on compositions that are nearly perfect. From the start, it is clear that this album is something unique and unrepeatable. From the first listen, we are captivated by the sparkling power of "Treasure", a magic that has rarely been equaled in history.

"Lorelei" accentuates this bewitching magic. A gothic alchemy pervades the air. The sweet singing, the enveloping keyboards, and an original rhythm carve out a sound poem. By the third track, we are already so fulfilled that we ask for nothing more. And yet "Beatrix" arrives, a nocturnal psalm. To the general amazement at the beauty of the tracks, there is also the significant merit of knowing how to vary the theme. Indeed, even as we traverse shadowy meanders, the dreamlike magic remains intact by the third track. We have a blend of dark music and dream pop. Now it's "Persephone’s" turn; a disorienting howl climbs over jagged sounds, there are Nordic echoes, gothic calls, all in a sort of reinterpretation of the early new wave.

After four songs, the variety and beauty are such that you could easily stop and start over. This says a lot about the value of "Treasure".

"Pandora" is one of the most evocative moments; a ballad with a rolling rhythm, pure ecstasy. The dream pop enters our veins and transforms the soul. The execution is perfect; not a single note is out of place. And what about the singing? There are no words to describe the infinite emotions it evokes. "Amelia" continues, excellently, on this path. This time with a more soaring melody and greater pathos, accentuated by the throbbing rhythm. "Aloysius" is an elf song transposed to an icy land. Songs like these are hard to find elsewhere. The greatness of the Cocteau Twins is remarkable, but in this album, there’s something beyond technique or individual abilities. There is a hidden soul that moves among the 10 songs that make up the album. The work of art surpasses the artist, in short.

The atmosphere changes significantly with "Cicely", finding us in a swirling psychedelic journey. There are moments of incredible intensity. Synth and dark merge and something different emerges. "Otterley" is instead a journey into the depths of the ocean. Leaden colors paint the sky. It becomes clear how the Cocteau Twins master multiple styles. "Treasure" is proof of this, the absolute pinnacle of Dream Pop, but also capable of bringing along numerous creative insights.

The religious singing of "Donimo", combined with the vespertine atmospheres, is proof of this. We transcend the simple new wave. We hold a magical vial in our hands. Formal perfection, overflowing content, and an unrepeatable climate make "Treasure" one of the most important albums in rock history and also one of the most enjoyable; even for the casual listener, these songs are stardust.