Stars and Topsoil: A Collection (1982-1990)

Long before dreampop was a genre, Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde of the Grangeland, Scotland–based Cocteau Twins were pioneering the sound. These songs chronologically span the Twins\' tenure on 4AD before they signed to Fontana/Capitol for 1993’s *Four Calendar Café*—the album where Fraser first sang in proper English. Before that, her vocal approach focused on creating abstract textures and sounds with her beautiful soprano. “Blind Dumb Deaf” from 1982’s *Garlands* opens with an immediately decipherable nod to Joy Division’s dark pulsing bass lines and early-\'80s Cure. The following “Sugar Hiccup” from 1983’s *Head over Heels* finds Guthrie and Raymonde moving away from gothy post-punk trappings and exploring new six-string soundscapes, which would be further realized in the gauzy chimes of “Pearly-Dewdrops\' Drops” and the seductive “Lorelei.” *Victorialand*\'s opening track, “Lazy Calm,” solidified their sound, ushering in an Eno-like ambience under Fraser’s ethereal inflections. The standout songs “Carolyn’s Fingers” and “Heaven or Las Vegas” infused accessible pop melodies.

Stars and Topsoil collects some of the Cocteau Twins' better-known 4AD material, which ends at 1990, before their departure to Fontana in the U.K. and Capitol in the U.S. Outside of college radio support and some late-night MTV rotation, the Cocteaus were basically invisible and unheard of in the U.S.; in the U.K., they were a higher profile act, but they still remained more of a cult band with a rabid following.