Treasure

I'm not big on this style of ambient music. This was more bearable than other albums in this genre though

Not a fan of the vocals.

I made it about half way through. I liked the songs that started work "p". Definitely a vibe.And the sound was to me very late eighties. I don't know that I'd listen to the full album again with an attentive ear, but I saved some songs

Not a favorite.

Neat

Dreamlike music. I really enjoyed this. 8/10

This one is a little hard to review as it’s a little unique to a degree. You’re kind of forced into just talking about how the vocals sound and the music itself, as lead vocalist Elizabeth Fraser sings in an entirely made up language. I’d love to say it’s a very daring choice to do so, but it seems to fit the music and production perfectly; adding an aura of total mystery to everything. It forces you to FEEL the music, while simultaneously adding to it. Her voice is dreamy, smooth, and ethereal as she hits high note after high note after high note with an unbelievably strong sense of melody and intensity. I was also surprised to learn, upon reading about this album, that the band aren’t very fond this release; regarding it as rushed and meaningless “arty-farty”. But at the same time they kind of admit defeat that people seem to like this album more than the others as it was their most successful. It really shows how sometimes there can be a pretty distinct disconnect between the audience and the artist. I myself am falling in line with the audience on this one. It may have been rushed, and it may not mean anything to the band. However, they have crafted a masterpiece here. Aside from the phenomenal vocals of Fraser, the music is just perfection. Gentle acoustic and electric guitars. Echo-y drums that feel far away adding to the ethereal, dream-like atmosphere. Bells ringing throughout each song. Subtle piano work. And just beautiful engineering all around. My personal highlights: ‘Ivo’, ‘Lorelei’, ‘Persephone’, ‘Amelia’, and ‘Domino’. I was very quick to add this to my list of LP’s I now want to physically own; and I think anyone and everyone should give this album a chance. Because while it means absolutely nothing to the band, they seemed to have accidentally stumbled into making just an absolute banger of a dream pop album. 5/5

Darker than their later stuff, but still with those same dreamy vibes I absolutely adore.

Like if the movie the Labyrinth was an album.

I can't think of another album with such a singular vibe than this one. The washed out distant vocals, the shimmering guitars, the childlike melodies, the unintelligible lyrics. Even the tracklist has a specific vibe, with every song have an uncommon person's name. I guess this must have been the moment when dream pop really began, and it sure sounds very dreamy and otherworldly. Key tracks: Ivo Lorelei Persephone Pandora (For Cindy) Amelia Domino

Trinkets

fool's gold

Well produced, with a couple standout tracks that flirt with dreampop and psychedelia. The airy vocals can be grating. 2.5/5

This is my second time listening to this album, and it absolutely fits the name Dream Pop. It’s dreamlike, ethereal, surreal, and abstract. This is definitely one of those albums you start from the beginning and just let it play all the way through. The whole thing feels like a journey, with each track seamlessly flowing into the next.

Dream Pop from the twins is as expected. Ethereal vocals, dreamy synths like a Labyrinth backing track for Jennifer Connolly to run away from the goblin king - sorry I lost my train of thought. The band think it's their worst album and I much prefer Heaven or Las Vegas. Again, did we need multiple albums from this band when so many others have been left out? Best Tracks: Lorelei; Pesephone; Aloysius

Un muy buen álbum de música alternativa y etérea, adelantando e inspirando tendencias como el Shoegaze y el Dream Pop. Con composiciones sinceramente adelantas a sus épocas, los escoceses dejaron una llaga en la escena gótica, agregando sonidos menos duros, pero igualmente espeluznantes y sombríos a la paleta de colores de la subcultura. Sumamente recomendable, a pesar de que no se entienda nada de lo que canta Fraser.

Got to me pretty late and hasn't disappointed. How to put the dream in dream pop while you're gazing. The vocals are mostly unintelligible, as is usually the case when empyrean voicings try for the terrestrial. When these cuts works for me I'm transported. Hard to maintain that for an album's worth.

Haunting, ethereal - all the old adjectives still apply. Very much a sound of their times. Lovely to listen to - calming. Although it does remind me of one particular New Year’s Eve party where pretentious Pritesh banged on about them all night which kind of ruined them for me because he was so boring. Poor boy thought he’d got lucky until I left him on my friend’s doorstep. So thinking of the Cocteau Twins also makes me chortle.

Strange and difficult in ways I didn't enjoy.

On paper, I should love Cocteau Twins. Ethereal vocals, dreamy, shoegazer-adjacent music... these peeps should be a favorite of mine. But I've never liked their sound. I think it's the tinny, thin production that grates on me, but even Elizabeth's vocals got on my nerves on this one (though I have enjoyed her vocals on other projects, especially with Massive Attack). In terms of personal enjoyment, this is a 1, but I'm giving it an extra star because I dig their concept, just not the execution.

Aside from being terribly embarrassed that I was waiting for "Hold Me Now" to play and thought "boy, that song just does NOT fit this vibe," I really enjoyed—both the music and the lesson in how to distinguish twins.

Ok so after a run of albums from the 60s and 70s, the thing that jumped out at me immediately was how much wetter this album is. The 80s truly was the decade of reverb and these songs sound much more massive and ethereal because of it. On the whole, I LOVED the SOUND of the record. But the songs themselves? Listen, I made it through the whole album, so I don’t want to go too far with this comparison, but… It reminded me a lot of that dreadful Destroy Rock & Roll record. Lots of ideas for songs never properly developed and just looped until I was eager to get on with it to the next song. The difference here is that I genuinely liked a lot of the ideas here and was disappointed they weren’t developed into proper songs. Funny enough - I learned the band agrees with me! They’ve used the word “underdeveloped” to describe the record. So it sounded good enough that I got through it pleasantly! And I can see why this ended up being the album that cemented the bands signature ethereal soundscape.

It felt aimless, maybe purposefully so, but I didn’t dig it. Some tracks were fun to sway too. But none brought me in

The music and vocals are interesting enough or 3 stars or C-, but I would not go so far as to say I like it.

Ymmärrän oikein hyvin, miks just tää levy on listalla - tämähän on oikeasti hyvä hymistelykokonaisuus. Ymmärrän myös, miksi Lorelei on niin monissa leffoissa/tv-sarjoissa (vai kuvittelenko vain?), erinomainen hymistelyhyvänolonbiisi. Vika biisi menee liian pitkäksi ja muistuttaa ärsyttävästä Cocteau twinsistä (muut niiden levyt).

Jos tämä ei ole huumoria, en vain tajua. Jos tämä on huumoria, se ei ole minun tyyppistäni. Mutta Lorelei on jonkin asteinen löytö, ja väitän kuulleeni pari muutakin nautintoa herättävää melodiaa. 2+

Uninspiring and not very interesting to listen to

I guess the saying "one mans trash is another mans treasure" works both ways.

Je préfère Heaven or Las Vegas, mais cet album aussi est vraiment une belle découverte. C'est vraiment bien comment ce band réussit à se démarquer de ses contemporains et comment ça sone encore très frais aujourd'hui. 7.5/10

Really enjoy dreampop in general, so this was a very interesting listen being so early on genre wise. Solid project.

Dreamy

3.3

Enjoyed this sound, never heard of this group before. 3*

Dreamy and very 80s. Imagine drifting off to sleep counting sheep, so nice and peaceful. Then, in the distance a drum machine and some soft guitar begin playing. Oh no, is that Cyndi Lauper or maybe Boy George? Who is that? where am I? Why is my hair permed?

Dream pop or any of the Cocteau Twins' stylings don't really appeal to me, so Treasure doesn't resonate as much as it will for others. A lot of it sounds really similar to my ear, the lyrics are deliberately incomprehensible but I'm not really interested in that, and while it occasionally hits the right sort of notes to build a massive epic sound like on Lorelei, it's a) not often enough and b) still not really what I enjoy. Always sounds like the sort of stuff that soundtracks something more interesting in tv or film than something that stands on its own merits, always find that quite telling. Just a 2 from me.

I thought this was decent - not as good as the one we had a couple of years(!) ago, which is on my work rotation, but it's a good listen. Like the other one, not sure quite what I like about it but it works, and Lorelei is a proper treat. A solid 3/5.

Liz Fraser's voice soars, and the guitar work from Guthrie remind us that he wasn't always a complete dick, or addicted to chorus pedals.

Great voice Liz is amazing. Good tight sound

Yeah! This is a fun album. Surprisingly dark.

Barely remember this perhaps two weeks out. Kinda wispy singing and unfinished music that walks the line between ethereal and boring.

I off saw this album described as ethereal and I think that’s a beautiful adjective. It sounds like a soundtrack to a movie

The band that revolutionized Dream Pop with some of the best albums of the 80's and 90's. This album that the Cocteau Twins released 6 years before their most critically acclaimed album was already one of the most forward thinking albums of the first half of the 80's by combining the dreamy sounding guitars with ethereal sounds and some Goth Rock influences to create a dark and mysterious album full of atmosphere and psychedelic parts. One is thrown into the album with 'Ivo' which is a nice blend of the Dream Pop and Ethereal Wave which makes up most of the album but it also adds some elements from Psychedelic Folk music which is a pretty cool touch especially right at the start. Also, like most of the album, you don't understand a single word that is sung even if it is English but that doesn't matter as it just adds to the dreamy atmosphere. The song feels cryptic and strange and full of mystery which makes it a great intro to the album. The high pitched vocal hook is quite interesting but I wish they added more to it. The song is pretty good but with a lot of room for improvement which still makes it a pretty great song overall. It gets a little noisy on 'Lorelei' which adds some Shoegaze, Post-Punk and even more Psychedlia into the mix. The result is a mix between dark and dreamy instrumentals combined with vocals that feel surreal and other-wordly, almost like a night creature you find in a nightmare but in the best way possible. This song feels more focused and more like it gets the thing done that it wants to achieve. The result shows that as it is one of the best songs on the album, simply incredible. 'Beatrix' on the other hand adds some Neoclassical tones while being much more openly Pop. It feels anthemic and nearly operatic, full of atmosphere you'd expect to find in a church but more Goth, if you know what I mean. The song is really lovely and weirdly hypnotic and the way builds up in the second half is just amazing. It is a stunning song which is just absolutely incredible. It gets even more Goth and Post-Punk on 'Persephone' which means it gets even darker and the atmosphere here is unmatched. The vocals are quieter and feel like they come for much further away which gives the song a creepy distance between listener and artist. It is genuinely a great piece of music and easily one of the albums biggest highlights. A truely wonderful song full of psychedelic and stunning moments especially with the vocals. The albums first half ends with 'Pandora (For Cindy)' is again, very dreamy, very ethereal, very atmospheric but here it feels way more like this would be liked by a bigger sized audience. It isn't as creepy, it has a nice and relaxed melody and is performed like it somehow finalises something (Side 1 in this case). It's a great song but doesn't really reach the heights some other songs here have so far as it is a little longer and looses itself a little. On the second side, 'Amelia' introduces the themes that were established on the first half and here there is again a little more Goth Rock worked into the song. That results in it being instrumentally darker and more angsty with some of the rhythmn sections feeling very anxious which is only strengthend by some of the vocal parts. The track is simply amazing and just full of hypnotizing moments. 'Aloysius' breaks things a little up by adding some jangly guitars that serve as a little more standard melody but the ethereal drums and bass parts add the deserved atmosphere. It's a pretty decent song with some really good moments but in comparison it just feels like it falls a little short although the drums are really good. The slight industrial influences on 'Cicely' are pretty well made and do make up the most interesting parts of the song but overall the song just feels a little like it tries too hard which ends up hurting it a bit. It's still a pretty good song but it isn't one of my personal favourites by a long shot. But I do have to give some credit to the organ which is my second favourite thing about the song, sad that it appears only for a short time. The very Ambient and nearly New Age sounding 'Otterley' adds some very echoey vocals on a mix of laid back instruments and Field Recordings which give the whole thing an own atmospheric touch while still somehow working within the albums context. In fact, they way that it is structured makes it a pretty memorable song and it doesn't get boring at all. I actually think that it is one of the best moments on the entire album. 'Donimo' closes the album with the longest song the tracklist has to offer. It keeps some of the Ambient elements of before but actually adds all of the influences that other songs had as well. There is some Goth Rock, some Art Pop, some Neoclassical Darkwave, some Post-Punk and also some Industrial moments. The result is an amalgamation of what makes the album as a whole which happens to be fantastically enjoyable and one of the albums most diverse and interesting songs. favourites: Lorelei, Persephone, Beatrix, Amelia, Otterley, Donimo least favourites: Aloysius, Cicely, Pandora (For Cindy) Rating: decent to strong 8 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Listens fine. Time seems to fly by whenever I listen to the Cocteau Twins. Not the type of music I actively listen out anymore, I prefer more abrasive and harsh shoegaze-like music.

Irritating. I don’t know who enjoys this.

I enjoyed this album. I got a different Cocteau Twins album early on in this list, and I've always wondered if I didn't give it a fair shake (I've heard several other people praise that album in the intervening years). This album is great. It very much has an 80s sound, but doesn't sound stereotypical. The vocals are consistently great and they are always doing interesting things. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that this was heavily influenced by Kate Bush 4/5

🎧It’s certainly unique, isn’t it? Vibey as hell too. What in god’s name is Elizabeth Fraser singing with those angelic pipes?? Favorite track: Lorelei

Not for me.

cocteau twins in general, and probably bits of this album in particular, are absolutely responsible for my love of dreamy, ethereal female vocals. lorelei is the obvious favorite, but the whole album is strong. as an added bonus, it's a lovely return to any number of happy hours frittered away in the art rooms of various schools, hanging out with the other fun kids - most of whom i've not spoken with in ages. in a roundabout way, it's been nice to hear their voices again, by way of ms. fraser

Enchanting, angelic, and intoxicating

Annoying as hell

I’m glad I took some time between listening to Music For Airports/Ágætis Byrjun and Treasure, because I think that that much ambient soundscape might have killed me. I did wind up getting Treasure, but it took me a little while to get into it. One of the interesting things I noticed was that, despite it’s ethereal sound, there was still a recognisable Scottishness to the sound, something similar to other Scottish Post-Punk and New Wave I enjoy. I’m now wondering if there’s a way of quantifying Scottishness in music, or if it’s just a case of those bands being of a scene and so sharing similar aesthetic goals and interests. Treasure was another album that was enhanced by my listening while walking along the beautiful Celtic seascapes of Gwynedd. The last album that received that benefit was the Goldfrapp one at the beginning of the summer, and I think the chilly mid-autumn afternoon suited Treasure better than a warm sunny day would. I enjoyed it a lot, but there’s still an isolation I feel from it which means I don’t quite love it. But that’s the beauty of art isn’t it?

I've fallen in love with the Cocteau Twins since discovering them through this list. An excellent album with ethereal vibes.

Cocteau Twins is lovely. I love the contrast between the dark atmosphere and the high vocals.

Cinemático, avant-garde e lirico. Sonoridade super atual.

As someone who’s a big fan of Heaven or Las Vegas, this is super cool to hear them essentially go inverse because of how rock/heavy and dark it feels. Sounds phenomenal but I still prefer the former to this one

one of my all time favorites blissful!

I knew the name but never really looked into their music. I know Elizabeth Fraser through her work with Massive Attack, especially Teardrop, and I liked it a lot. So it is not surprising that I also like her performance on Treasure. Her ethereal voice and those aural/atmospheric soundscapes combine to a dreamy experience, sometimes contrasted with the beat of the drum machine.

i love the voice , music and production music. I don't love the lyrics though 3

I didn’t really like this at all. Way too dreamy. Seems like a stream of conscience with no real focus. The vocals are nearly impossible to hear they are buried so far in the mix.

7/10 This one was heavy on the vibes and lighter on the adrenaline Dreamy pop-rock, drum machines and ethereal vocals that could almost be medieval style at times Can hear this as an influence still today, even in things as diverse as current French electronic Best: Domino

Goth nerds love this shit but it's mostly annoying. Amelia slaps though.

não entendi o álbum na moral. não é um tipo de música familiar, não me pegou hora nenhuma, a mixagem parecia ruim ou não funcionar

Idk even know anymore

a really really strong debut, heaven and las vegas clears for me personally but this is a strong offering

I liked the other worldly feel of this, but could have used a little more variety

Don’t enjoy this ad much as the first Cocteau Twins album. Simpsons: I’ll be honest I’ve stopped checking and have been guessing

Enjoyable album but nothing standout.

This was weird; if I had to describe it, all I could say is that it felt like Kate Bush had tried to record a sci-fi album underwater. If I found this treasure, I would probably put it back.

Like the album, didn’t love it but then I heard the final track, Donimo and if the rest of the album had been on the level of that song I would have loved it. Instead it was just fine

Some good ideas but trying to be moody without the weight to back it up. Couldn't understand a word for pretty much the whole thing. 2.5

I was put off by the 80s drum machine and the massive amounts of reverb on everything. Shame cos the songs actually sounded ok.

Bored, again with the chorus pedal and whispery pixie singing?

I like Heaven or Las Vegas more but this is a worthy step on the way to it

Pleasant enough. Rather warbly.

Having only listened to Heaven or Las Vegas, which I quite enjoyed, Treasure feels similar yet rawer.

Wow, what an album. Where the sounds of light and darkness intertwine into an atmospheric soundscape. This will be going on repeat in the coming months.

Oiiilll spilllll… it’s not terrible but I’m not coming back to this.

10/10

Perfect for early 80s moody teenagers looking to goth out all night in their bedrooms

You know, I really like this. Especially after I stopped attempting to figure out the lyrics and just went with it. I can see how this accelerated dream pop. The vibes are strong.

Wat een super interessant album is dit! Heel erg soundscapey en vibey? Het voelt ook heel duister, door de vrouwelijke vocals en soms toch ook als een elektronisch album. Maar dat is het volgens mij niet? Het is volgens mij eigenlijk gewoon een band, maar de manier hoe is echt heel bijzonder. Ik had hier nog nooit van gehoord en moet heel eerlijk zeggen dat ik het me niet snel op zie zetten, maar toch heeft dit album me ontzettend verrast. Het is zo ongelooflijk sfeervol, op de allerbeste manier! Ik ben enthousiast, en geef het dan gewoon een verdiende 4 sterren. Goede week is dit zeg! FAVO: Ivo, Lorelei, Persephone, Pandora, Donimo

In a nutshell: and you thought The Cure was goth… Treasure is a blueprint album. I bet many artists who align with shoegaze, dream-pop and ethereal wave would draw inspiration from Cocteau Twins (artists from the 4AD label, Jesus and Mary Chain, Aldous Harding, The xx, etc). It feels like Kate Bush meets Siouxsie and The Banshees but in a medieval/baroque style. They’re songs that you’d hear in an 80’s indie movie (Allison from The Breakfast Club would play this album on repeat for sure). It’s not my thing, but I get why it’s important. Overall: 3/10

I was waiting for it to be over. 2.4.

This wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5

Ethereal sounding, like it came out of a fantasy dream. Sometimes it got a bit too weird. I can see Tarja-era Nightwish being influenced by this. Stand-out: Pandora (for Cindy)

Were all song names women names?

Was looking forward to it but was too much of the same for one lidten

At the risk of having my goth card taken away ... Cocteau Twins is one of those groups that I want to like more than I do. I respect them for pioneering dream pop and ethereal goth, and I don't dislike their music. Persephone is a banger. It's just that after a while all their songs kind of blend together. I also always kind of feel like I'm having a stroke listening to Elizabeth's vocals — like, I feel like I should understand what she's saying, but I know it's just gibberish. It gets frustrating, especially as someone who really cares about lyrics in music. If I'm going ethereal goth, I'm picking All About Eve over this. Sorry. 3/5 — part of me wants to give it a 4 because of its influence and legacy, but meh.

Ethereal loveliness from CT. Not so many bangers on this album but still respect it as a very unique style and way ahead of it's time

It was pretty different to what I expected to be honest. It was interesting and cool but not sure I loved it.

Soundscapes alternating between dreamy and vaguely unsettling. The layered female vocals are largely unintelligible. Mechanical sounding programmed drums. And yet, the overall effect is organic and beautiful. Ivo and Lorelei are pretty, but Persephone is better; built around a dark, driving low end rhythm. Pandora and Aloysius are melodic again and uplifting. Strong closer in Donimo. Nothing else quite sounds like this. A treasure indeed.

Interesting album, not what I would usually listen too but something new and fun. I believe French singers from the 80s. I can’t understand anything but I enjoy the music nonetheless. Would have in the background when building IKEA furniture.

👌

Hadn't heard before, loved it.

I LOVE THIS ALBUMMMMM

You really don't get enough etherial waltzing in pop these days.

I have to quit reading the Spotify profiles and Wikipedia entries for these albums before I've listened all the way through because I am not able to separate my evaluations from what is written. The lyrics are literally nonsense words. This album apparently influenced later "shoegaze" music which is a genre I just now learned existed and am also pretty sure I will not be a fan of. A girl making up silly wordless songs over "dreampop" (another genre I just learned about) is not an alum you need to listen to before you die. I just put the shoegaze genre and the title of the Alabama Shakes song together. This is worse that ambient noise music because this woman "wrote" these lyrics knowing they are just sounds. She should have just gone to Japan and read off the strange English you find on some t-shirts there. The lyrics are dumb, the music is terrible, there is nothing redeeming about this album. This could be the music from a Final Fantasy game and I wouldn't know the difference.

This is a cool sound for 1984, which is incidentally my birth year. I hear them influencing the Cranberries and Y La Bamba. It also seems to be contemporary with Kate Bush. I’ll be visiting the rest of this catalogue.

Knew the band name, had no idea what to expect, except I thought they had male vocalists. Got 80s ethereal female vocals with a influence from something I can't quite point to any more because the kids are listening to a song about a rhino having to poo.

Je connais et aime beaucoup Cocteau Twins, en particulier la musicalité du chant. Je possède cet album, mais ce n'est pas mon préféré du groupe. =>4/5

★★★★½

Love CT. Not the best album but still a great vibe. 4/5

Fuck yeah, that was great. Didn't understand a word but loved it.

vibes

3.75

I didn't like this at all. Too electronic and loud and abrasive.

Breathy, floaty, dreamy. Like an otherworldly ambient Kate Bush. Almost Om Nommy Nom Song levels of relaxation. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Lorelei Date listened: 06/07/24

ok

man i love the cocteau twins

Really enjoyed this. Didn't like Cocteau Twins when I was younger. Still a bit grating to listen to as whole, more enjoyable dipping in and out. Personally, I like Heaven & Las Vegas more.

Not really my thing.

The Cocteau Twins were a Scottish band that made ethereal syn-pop songs, and Treasure was their third full-length album. The dreamy nature of the songs is achieved with affect-laden instruments and Elizabeth Frazer's vocals, which are often just vocalizations, and not distinct lyrics. This is an interesting collection of engaging songs, that pushed the boundaries of pop music towards electronic soundscapes.

Nothing particular stood out to me other than this album seed to be a decent recommendation out of a sea of garbage that recently came up in the app. I enjoyed this enough to consider listening to it again.

I can appreciate that they're doing something original here, but it just doesn't work for me. 2.1

This just wasn't for me.

2.5

Very fun

incredible album. didnt expect to like it as much as i did. thought i wasnt liking a song and then all of a sudden it hits me how good it actually is.

more like 4.5, love the cocteau twins already, but not as good as heaven or las vegas

I can take it or leave it. Nothing special.

2.5

Fascinating, deeply ephemeral but kinda too spacy

Sounds like a fever dream

cocteau twins are goated don't know how i'm rating this album though high 3 or low 4

Treasure is my second Cocteau Twins album on this project, and their sound is truly unlike anything I've heard. They were ahead of their time for 1984, but musicians still aren't making music like this. To say this album is ethereal is selling it short. It's an easy journey to listen to this album because their music has a tendency to wash over the listener, but there's a lot of nuance. Nothing on this album is sloppy or unrefined. Not to mention, the main vocalist has the perfect voice for this album, more so than anything I've ever heard before.

Another album where shoegaze meets goth, and I am absolutely here for it! The Cocteau Twins excelled at dreamy and ethereal sounds from instrumentation to vocals, and this album is no exception to that. It is said that this is the album where Cocteau Twins really found their footing, and while they themselves regard this album as not being good, it is highly regarded by fans as among the best, if not the best. Speaking of juxtapositions, the juxtaposition of song titles with the lyrics is an interesting one. On surface level, several of the song titles make it seem as if these songs are going to be mythological in topic. And of course the celestial sounds of the album lend to this assumption as well. But upon listening and hearing the actual lyrics, that doesn't really end up being the case. Even lead singer Elizabeth Fraser would go on to say that the songs are not about mythology. That said, I think it tends to take on a life of its own, because too many traits of the songs and the music line up and attract new age and pagan-adjacent listeners. I was aware of Cocteau Twins prior to this project, but the project has brought them back into my mind and left me wanting to explore more of their discography! When albums on this project accomplish that, it's always a win, in my opinion. This album comes in around a 3.5 for me; I didn't love it quite as much as their other album on this project. That said, it hooked me and highly intrigued me and that's worth something to me, so I'm giving it the round up!

2+

pandora (for cindy) amelia

Beautifully atmospheric, emotive and sweet

Treasure may just be my favorite Cocteau Twins album. I've commented on the tension I've often felt in listening to Cocteau Twins with respect to wanting them to unleash some aggressive riff or sonically crushing chord...to momentarily drop the ethereal charade and crush us with a burst of musical muscularity that they're hiding behind masses of restraint and reverb. Often some listeners with whom I've shared this feeling will cock their head to one side and look at me quizzically in a way that suggests there is little evidence in their opinion that Cocteau Twins posses this capacity. For them there is no aggression that is held at bay, but for me Treasure is a wonderful example of an album that when I turn up I can hear all the aspects of their sound that are absolutely massively muscular. The thing that I have learned over time is that with Cocteau Twins this aggression I apprehend will always be a subtext in the songwriting. And, in many ways that "threat" that I feel is a different, possibly more powerful feeling to elicit in a listener — all the better that with Cocteau Twins it is beautifully wrapped in their unique sound. Treasure indeed.

I really don't get this one - all the songs sound the same and couldn't find anything enjoyable about any one of them. It's fine, but really not my thing. Also, they should've refrained from calling this album "Treasure" because it's anything but. 3/10.

A beautiful fever dream of an album

Need a Duolingo course for Cocteau Twins lyrics. Still enjoyed it, not as much as their later albums from the 90s, but still a really good album. Favourites: Lorelei, Donimo.

Nice music but not what I care to listen to.

It's only the dreamiest music ever

had it on in the background while working but will listen again

Been looking forward to this one since i saw it pop onto the list. First time listening to an album. Loved it. Exactly what i expected really, but more of it

Very good stuff. Crazy this came out in 1984, it feels well ahead of its time.

I had no memory of listening to this, which should tell you all you need to know.

Hauntingly beautiful. Shimmering, ethereal, gothic, shoegaze/dream pop masterpiece. 5/5

Ivo 2.7 Lorelei 2.9 Beatrix 2.6 Persephone 2.8 Pandora (for Cindy) 3 Amelia 2.6 Aloysius 2.5 Cicely 2.6 Otterley 2 Donimo 2.1 Score: 2.58

Dreamy vocals. Sometimes I wondered if it was English. But it didn't leave a lasting impression. Already forgot I listened to it

Unique and otherworldly.

Less of a standout than I was hoping but some really neat sounds, especially towards the end of the record.

Too “shoegaze” for my liking

Great soundtrack to solo highway driving. Surprised I've never heard any of this but will add it to the roster for future travel. Loved singing along 🤣

Diablo II town music ass album

I loved the voice of the lead singer omg! It was so angelic, and it contrasted well with a lot of the music. I really enjoyed this album. 4.49 stars... I think it just misses being rounded up to a 5.

Overall enjoyable, but I kept waiting for a real banger like Heaven or Las Vegas or Alice and one never came.

I think I would have liked it less if I paid more attention to this

It was OK ... 3 stars

This isn't really my favorite genre of music, but I'll give them some credit for innovating something (seemingly). If I wouldn't have read anything about this album first, I would have guessed it was released in the early-mid 2000s. I think it rivals a lot of similar stuff that was coming out at the time. I can appreciate that.

After a long day in London (bad place) with my train back not getting in until after 2 in the morning, what a day to be greeted home with some Scotch Music.

Happily listened to this while working, had some interesting moments but not going to be playing a load more from the artist based on this

Not my style at all. Just left it on in the background while working and forgot it was there

Ethereal, dreamy, and mysterious. This is probably my favorite Cocteau Twins album. Everything is well thought out, from the one-word song titles to sequencing and visual art. I don't know how to put it into words, but these songs connect with my soul. They are pure yet lusty. There is nothing like this.

Do not listen to this without proper headphones, very awkward experience on knock-off airpods. Hits a very nice ambience with better quality.

Why’s this album art so bad? There’s something about it that screams 2004 emo act along with all the songs being names. I know literally nothing about the Cocteau Twins. Oh wow this is beautiful. I don’t know if I’ve heard anything quite like this. It’s relaxing but somehow also energetic it just makes me feel good. The bass on Beatrix feels like another singer paired with the actual singer it’s beautiful and haunting, this is so good

This one surprised me and was very enjoyable. I must like dance music more than I thought I did.

This was interesting and not like anything I've ever heard before, good job!

I think I really enjoyed this, its etheral, chilled vibes kinda reminded me of a drive through America in a convertible

Very ethereal and almost trance like. I dont see myself listening to it again, but it would make for some interesting background music. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song:

3.5

didn’t listen to the entire album, but it was interesting. but i could see myself putting it on in the background every once in a while.

I’ve always felt a bit of a mismatch between the intricate goth-baroque melodies that define Cocteau Twins and Elizabeth Fraser’s ethereal voice. Still, nice to know that bands like this could gain commercial cudos once upon a time…hang on. Do I mean the Thompson Twins? And how do This Mortal Coil fit in the puzzle?

Weird and floaty and annoying and boring.

This was one of the first albums I owned, weirdly. I don't know how or why. Maybe I was looking for things that were a bit like The Cure? I remember the vinyl cover was a pleasingly thick, matte-feeling, cardboard. Anyway, it was a bit of a cul-de-sac of musical exploration, in that, I quite liked it but not enough to become a fan. And I still feel the same way, like, I quite enjoy listening to it because I have to for 1001 albums, but I can't really see myself returning to it again. Nonetheless, it's a unique sound and I'm going to give it a 4 because I can. So there.

Haunting and dreamy. Love the vocals.

I have begun to appreciate.the Cocteau Twins diaphanous electric folk, and once again I didn’t have the time to get deep into the mindset.

Another style my kids cannot abide. I've got plenty of time for Cocteau majesty in its highlights, but this was a tough sell today

This was…an album. I really didn’t get it. Not sorry. The echo on these vocals, good lord. I honestly wasn’t sure if it was in English because I could hardly understand what they were saying. The songs were repetitive and overly long. They rarely went anywhere. This was probably really forward thinking for its time, and in some ways is probably still ahead of its time. But I did not enjoy this very much, honestly. I was bored, and I hate that any music can make me feel bored so I do actually feel a little bad. But this has to be 2 stars. I have zero desire to listen to this again. Standout track: Lorelei

Not for me - did not finish. Not sure why it’s on the list.

I didn’t hate hate this. But it was just noise mostly.

Very relaxing to listen to. However, ethereal pop with almost no danceability isn’t my thing. This is my second Cocteau Twins album and I don’t think they’re for me. 3/5 because it’s not bad, just not my thing.

Ah, nothing like the Cocteau Twins. Ethereal and lovely. Makes me think of my college days and the friends who loved them, who all surely have had cats with the same names as any of the songs on here.

A bit challenging to dance to or sing along with, but it was nice sound to just lie and listen to.

No super strong feelings in either direction for me. It's nice.

This was surely a very ethereal experience. As I listened I looked for some lyrics on Apple Music, but there were none to be found. I decided it was some kind of imaginary language. Then I googled and discovered many of the songs had words… but I’m not sure of the meaning… A decent soundtrack for a sunny afternoon, if a little samey by the end.

Me and the 1001 albums guy have drastically different ideas about "must hear before I die"

this was on and it just does not register. not bad but not something that pulls me into it. could i write poetry to this? n

Just can’t get into Cocteau Twins

I liked this enough while listening to it, but later realized I didn't remember a thing about it

It's 4AM. You're drunk. All your friends went home. You stare into the nearly extinguished bonfire. You should have gone to bed hours ago. Your every thought seems brilliant, yet fleeting. This music makes sense in this moment.

Amazing!

Like it

Beach House long before Beach House. As good as I hoped it would be. Maybe even a little better.

Prehistoric shoegaze is rad

I think I just don't understand

Didn't make me want to listen

OMG! What a blast from the past. I absolutely love this album- 40 years old now. That makes me very very old ;-) Beautiful ethereal music- alternative rock and pre-shoegaze and post rock before those labels had been invented. One of the most special things to ever come out of Scotland.

This was quite fun, very ethereal

I’ve definitely hit a lull in getting music that I really appreciate and enjoy. This album wasn’t terrible but it didn’t motivate me to want to discover more of their music. It was background noise.

good album very soulful, i can see why it is on this list. helped me do math so no complaints. fave song: lorelai and persophone

I like the ethereal sound. It's relaxing, but no real standouts for fantastic songs.

This album is nice, liked the mood it has. Will I listen to again: 40%

already sorta familiar with this record. lorelei and pandora are the clear stand out tracks here but most songs are solid enough. 7/10

How did I miss them?? Reminds me of Siouxie and I really enjoyed it.

The cloudy, dreamy blanket of sound is a great gag that I enjoy from all of my heart. I can't name the different songs or how they differ, and I don't care. I still love this.

Reminds me of late 80s/90s movie soundtracks.

I dislike this type of music. Not my thing I find it boring. Dont like Kate Bush either. They should leave these groups forgotten.

I was pleasantly surprised, not expecting something so floaty and ethereal. Definitely add to my background and chill playlist.

Very synth-y pop from the 80s.

Lorelei Persephone Pandora

Beautiful and haunting. Just how i like it.

That was weird.

Enjoyed it

I really liked this. Maybe it was the time of day I was listening butbI’d definitely listen to it again. 4*

Nice enough. I can certainly understand the appeal but not really my mood today.

Riktigt coolt sound. Det tog mig några låtar innan jag fattade att det inte var på engelska. Väldigt ”drömigt” och en del snygga ackord. Kommer nog börja lyssna på dem mer i framtiden.

Shoegazey dream pop at its finest.

Not for me

Dreamy, i like

Bad just bad

strano ma non male. Molto etereo e sognante

Just straight up boring and uninspired, if I wanted to listen to something like this I'd listen to Sisters of Mercy who have much better production values and far more interesting songs.

Just gorgeous I adore the Cocteaus. That is all.

It was okay. I'm glad I got to to hear them though bc I had no idea what their sound was like.

Not for me 4/10

Lets hum and shit for an hour 4/10

Two women yelling jibberish over each other with some of the most generic 80s background music. T 3/10 K 2/10

Everything I said about the Cocteau Twins in my last album review still stands. Because I won't lie, I can't really distinguish between some of their music. It never feels like a collection of distinctive songs, but rather some ephemeral frequency that my head managed to tune into for a while. I'm not able to sign anything I heard, but it was unearthly and magical. Always great to start the work day with some Cocteau.

I love Cocteau Twins, they are probably my favorite shoegaze band (if you would call them that). I love the sound of this album it is so ethereal, the singing is perfect, and there is so many great effects. Ivo is a great song and a great opener. Lorelei is one of my favorite Cocteau Twins songs and I love the stuttered breathing thing she does in the chorus. Persephone has a great guitar part. Pandora is such a pretty song and I refuse to believe that the lyrics are in English. Easy 5

I absolutely loved this. So dreamy, ethereal, and totally enveloping, with great vocals and guitar hooks. I’m definitely going to have to explore this band further!

ambienty type of music. Ivo was good

Que cosa tan bonita de disco, de verdad.

Kinda sounds like Portishead from the 80’s. Not sure if it’s because I listened to it on my work headphones, or because I’d drank too much coffee, but the jangly guitar present on and throughout most tracks became a bit nauseating. I did quite like Pandora - reminds me of Vibes is Right by Barrington Levy.

it was good, but nothing really stood out to me besides Lorelei. that song alone could be worth 4 stars, but I know Cocteau Twins can do better

Couldn't wait for it to end.

.08/1001 I agree with the opinion of many people. This album is ethereal and quite dreamy. It is a very pleasant sound and quite relaxing. Although I don't think it's the best of what's on the list. It's a very good album, it's not perfect but it's really good. Notable songs: Ivo, Lorelei and Pandora (for Cindy)

So good that I named a child after one of the songs.

I can see how it's highly influential. I just find it a bit wishy washy.

Another in the long line of Enya? Obviously not my cup of tea.

From members of the band: Raymonde alluded to Treasure being rushed and unfinished, while Guthrie referred to it as "an abortion", "our worst album by a mile". (I wholly agree) If you look at the lyrics they all have the same thread. Choose a letter of the alphabet, come up with as many words that start with or contain that letter. Then play the same tired music while softly saying those words over and over again. Add a splash of reverb with some vocalizing to give it an "ethereal" touch. Vapid and self-aggrandizing. The whole collection of the human race's musical achievements would not be lacking anything if this album was never created or recorded.

Love the soundscapes - very much my vibe. Only knew them from one vocalist appearing on Massive Attack album.

I quite enjoyed this. I might even listen again.

I cant make out a word that's being said, but like it, it's just a vibe. Some delightfully dated 80's drum machine sounds too

At first I quite liked this, thought it had a Kate Bush ambience to it, then it got a bit too droney and a bit too weird and I lost interest!

Really enjoyed this just isn't very memorable

This reminded me of Kate Bush in a good way, but it didn't capture my attention past the second or third track

That album font was an indicator

Ethereal of course, but I’m just impressed by Elizabeth Fraser’s voice and the way she uses seemingly nonsensical lyrics that barely resemble English to create sounds with her mouth and voice that are so magical. In many ways she reminds me of Bjork, with her exploration of vocal sounds. A lot of it is about shape and the power of repetition to create mini melodies. This magic on top of the shoegaze guitar and bass and pulsing drum machine makes for an otherworldly experience. Lorelei is probably the best example of their sound and one of the greatest indie/dream pop songs of all time. The rest of it is also very good, but maybe not as fully realized as Heaven or Las Vegas.

Mmm top 1000?

Nope

Gorgeous. Knew about them never heard them - and it was a treat of a record.

not my style

Not my favorite....did like her voice some. Fav Persephone.

Personally I like a little more meat with my potatoes. Might work for a stretch session or meditation.

Heaven or Las Vegas is definitely a 5 and this one isn’t as good but still pretty dang good.

Here’s what it says

Буду немногословен: звук интересный, обволакивающий, музыка даёт умиротворение. Но мы же не критики тут ахуевшие, мыслим субъективно. Поэтому оценка ниже. По настроению, крайне редкому для меня, послушаю с удовольствием. А так чтобы больше одного раза в год - вряд ли.

This album is one of the most beautiful pieces of music i have ever heard

Good for background music

Nr. 132/1001 Ivo 3/5 Lorelei 3/5 Beatrix 3/5 Persephone 2/5 Pandora 3/5 Amelia 2/5 Aloysius 2/5 Cicely 2/5 Otterley 2/5 Donimo 2/5 Average: 2,4 Really unique with it's unconventional songwriting and lyrics. Nothing on here I hated, but also nothing I really liked.

Probably suffers from things that came after it. It’s not bad by any means and I can hear the music it has influenced.

This is the second Cocteau Twins album I have had. It reminds of Kate Bush a little, whose music I don’t really like but prefer to this. The high singing doesn’t appeal to me. Listens: 2 Fave Track: None

You have to be in the mood. I was.

There's nothing to object to. But nothing i want to hear, either.

Je sais pas dans quelle langue ils chantent, mais c’est cool pareil inquiétez-vous pas là

The basis of all dreampop to follow - I love the fact that I listened to 40 minutes of blissful gibberish that Spotify refuses to attempt to transcribe into lyric sheets. And I loved it. Colour me an 80s kid.

Super gothy. Super ethereal. It's good background soundtrack music. I'm not really sure how I land on it. I don't love it, but it's really too good to be disliked though I could totally understand why some would. If I found a decently priced copy on vinyl, I'd have it in my collection.

Bit airy fairy meh

Des sonorités interessantes

album makes me feel like I'm a victorian girl locked in a dungeon about to die of the plague but it's cool cause I'm chillin though

Not really my style. Lovely ethereal voice and distorted guitar to listen to in small doses 80’s Scot band

They startled my partner

80's UK Alt Rock... a little bit lighter of lighter listening, some orchestral sounding songs. Not really any BANGERS.... 2-3 stars

Prefer Heaven or Last Vegas, great vibes on this just no major stand outs

Super 80s. Loved Pandora but was underwhelmed by most of the rest of the album..

👍

cocteau twins is a name i've heard but i don't know if i've ever experienced their music before this. really cool stuff. very atmospheric and the vocals are haunting. i could see myself absolutely falling in love with this album if i give it another few listens, but as it stands right now, i am extremely impressed. very compelling and stark.

favourite song: persephone really good, had only heard heaven or las vegas before which is still my favourite album of theirs however

Ethereal rock, shimmery and dreamlike. Soft echoing drums, reverbed vocals and keys, just filling each song with a pop sweetness. Some special lightning in a bottle type creativity. Swelling, pulsing, moving, like an ocean performing ballet. Twirling, lifting, inspiring.

Not for everyone…

Klang viel moderner als es ist

p518. 1984. 3 stars. Got to admit, the Cocteau Twins are one of my musical blind spots. I can appreciate the musicianship and they have some decent songs, but I find Liz Frazer's voice shrill and grating after a couple of tracks. And it's all a bit... soulless. Well done though.

Liked: Very cool instrumentation at time, unique use of sounds and effects to create soundscapes. Very melodious with genre bending at time. Dislike: Vocals buried in the mix, I cannot distinguish what words are being said and cannot decipher if its in English or another language.

This had a lot of nice atmosphere. The other album that I got from them on this list was just okay but this was quite enjoyable. Will return to this one again.

Very nice sound from this band.

Ta bien 👍

Ouch..my ears hurt. I tried to listen to at least one song but could not endure it! The songs would be great for an ethereal soundtrack. Kudos for people trying to make music that is very unique.

Okay was not expecting to warm up to this one. Definitely a slow burn, anyone else picking up Diablo catacomb vibes from this album ?? This maybe played a part in the game soundtrack, it’s eerily similar… who knows? The spooky and echoey voices in the later tracks make for a creepy ambience that are chilling ! Would I listen to this all the time ? No, I’m not of the occult. I liked it while folding laundry 🧺

“Lorelei” has a fun dreamy vibe, but it’s a bit off, which I think is on purpose…? It would be a good fit for a scene with Ryan Gosling acting like he has a subtle yet large potential for spontaneous violence (think “Driver”) 👨 🚗 🔪 “Pandora” is Enya on mushrooms 🍄 😜

Irrrreeeeelanddddd? Scotland? Lady birdy sounds, a little witchiness Cranberries? heavy SYNTH and jewel toned sounds Hang on, this is only 1 vocalist? layers, layers, layers "Lorelei" sounds familiar, although I swear I can't understand a single lyric. This is the soundtrack to emerging out of a coma, desperately trying to make sense of the words with a limited understanding of how language works.

Beautiful vibe. Perfect morning listen. I have never heard any songs from this album even though I know it’s a band I enjoy.

Really enjoyed this one. And completely new to me. Dreamlike melodies... that are dreamy! Will revisit for sure, but a definite pleasant surprise.

The Wiki review uses the word "ethereal" to describe this album and that's pretty on point. The best way I can describe it is like music you'd expect to hear at a spa in the Outer Hebrides where psychedelic mushrooms are part of the treatments. It's relaxing and pretty up to a point, though it's not clear whether there are actual lyrics or the singer is just using her voice to create sound -- certainly I couldn't understand one single word on the whole album. It's difficult to even really think of the tracks as "songs"; I think "moods" would be a better word. It was interesting to be exposed to this record but I can't see myself listening to it again.

Very creepy

This is a pretty solid meh on the meh scale. 80's post punk. Pandora (for Cindy) is legitimately beautiful. Aloysius is another legit beauty.

I really liked this one! Couldn't understand a single word of the lyrics but truly enjoyed the album.

This was nice! Very dreamy synth pop and bloody enjoyable! First time with the twins and I may very well check out some of their other stuff! Liked this one!

the first half was a bit unremarkable, but i guess for the second i was already warmed up and enjoyed it a bit more - 3 adds

Pues muy bonito. Un poco de voz de locas, pero bonico.

Strangely haunting. Really enjoyed this one. How would I even go about finding it on my own?

Not good.

somehow in my profound musical ignorance i thought Cocteau Twins was a 90's 00's band lol. this is good music and in so much defiances of what 80's mainstream was. additional star for the correct use of synths

4/5

not much of a fan

So advanced for 1984. Truly unique. Great band. Can’t remember the last time I listened to a full album. This was a treat.

wasnt into it at first but its nice background music but def not a revisit

слишком загадочный и с непонятными словами. тот первый почему-то лучше лёг