"A life blue on gloomy waves, I feel I am diving deeper into the darkest caves."
Arguably one of the finest albums released by 4AD during its mid-eighties heyday, Medusa by Clan of Xymox, is a masterfully constructed mix of wistful melancholia and orchestral Goth-Rock that is both darkly atmospheric and intermittently danceable. From the opening instrumental, "Theme I," it is clear that Clan of Xymox is striking out into new sonic territory. The song begins familiarly enough with a minor key arpeggio backed by gloomy keyboard washes, something straight out of the Dead Can Dance tool chest, but things take an uncharted turn at the midway point when a Greek flute is introduced into the mix. This effectively sets the tone for the rest of the album, which moves from beautiful pop songs such as the title track to proto-Trance numbers such as "Michelle." While many tout the band's next album, Twist of Shadows, as a more fully conceived project, Medusa claims the distinction of being Clan of Xymox's greatest creative achievement.
