Manafonistas

Very soon, in the early days of December, today, maybe tomorrow, one Manafonista will start looking back on a record that is definitely a milestone, a milestone of Factory Records, Manchester, a milestone of its era, and any era. Once upon a time, I was thrilled by its glacial, icy  atmosphere, its passion, and a kind of yearning that is beyond any feel-good formulas. The music leaves its marks on every listener, though a lot of people who had heared it once were immediately looking for the exit signs in their internal cinema. Be brave, go back to your archive, to the back of your mind, the hinterland of your weirdest dreams,  and  dare another rendez-vous with one of the darkest records ever. It’s on par with Sylvian’s bleakest hour, Scott Walker’s research of the abyss, and Talk Talk’s „Spirit of Eden“. I haven’t heared it in a very long time, but even my pale memories are sending shivers down the spine …