Cocteau Twins

Cocteau Twins earned a place in history for both their distinctive, pioneering brand of dream pop and their position as exemplars of the vintage 4AD Records aesthetic. Formed in 1979 by singer Elizabeth Fraser, guitarist Robin Guthrie, and bassist Will Heggie, the band began with an extremely different approach than the one that made them famous.

Their debut album, Garlands, released in 1982 on 4AD, is an edgy, aggressive record heavy on post-punk and goth-rock influences. Their next couple of EPs continued that trend, though Guthrie's guitar work was beginning to grow more expansive, and Fraser was moving closer to her signature aqueous tones and glossolalia.

The turning point for the band came in 1983, when Heggie left and Fraser and Guthrie recorded a cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" for 4AD collective This Mortal Coil. The track's dreamy, ambient feel marked a change in direction, and the band's second LP, Head Over Heels found them moving further in that direction. This Mortal Coil cohort Simon Raymonde soon joined Cocteau Twins on bass and guitar, helping to complete their dream-pop transition on 1984's Treasure.

Raymonde wasn't present for 1986's gentle Victorialand, but the record brought a new level of success, reaching No. 10 in the U.K. Raymonde was back on board for The Moon and the Melodies, a collaboration with ambient composer/pianist Harold Budd released later that same year.

The band's 1990 album, Heaven or Las Vegas, marked their commercial pinnacle, reaching No. 7 and becoming their most widely known release. But the seeds of the Twins' eventual demise were already being sown as Guthrie's substance abuse became a major issue. When Fraser and Guthrie ended their longtime romantic relationship in 1993, it was the last straw for the band.

After that year's Four-Calendar Café, they remained together long enough to make one last LP, 1996's Milk & Kisses. They tried to cut one more album the following year, but broke up midway through. Guthrie and Fraser both went on to make music on their own, and Raymonde founded the renowned Bella Union label.