As someone who's paid high prices to get their Xmal Deutschland albums back, I'm absolutely thrilled with this news from 4AD! I should have never sold my CD's of this band, but when the group sort of disappeared, the import CD's become hot commodities and I likely sold them in the midst of college a good many years ago.
The seminal label made the announcement and neatly summarized the treasures we're getting in Gift: The 4AD Years:
"Commemorating their '4AD years' (1983-1984) forty years on, the mysteriously enchanting group returns now with a brand new release entitled 'Gift: The 4AD Years", a limited-edition 3xLP / 2xCD containing 2025 Abbey Road remasters of their two albums released with the label (the feverish "Fetisch" and titanic "Tocsin"), as well as tracks off other related releases and EPs including "Incubus Succubus II" and "Qual", creating a package pulsating with power and poise."
I can say that this band, so famed for being goth, offered so much more. The guitar attacks behind Anja Huwe's captivating vocals was hypnotic. Close to early Siouxsie & The Banshees in vibe, the first few records from Xmal Deutschland are absolutely essential!
Gift: The 4AD Years by Xmal Deutschland is can be ordered on Bandcamp or via 4AD.
[Photo: Kevin Cummins]