Heaven Or Las Vegas
by Cocteau Twins

Scottish dream pop, this is certainly something different. It's very synthy but I also liked the guitar and bass playing a lot. The multi-tracked female vocals are bold and seem influential (Tori Amos, Cranberries). The overall effect is surreal, like the music is coming from another dimension. It's a fascinating and unique artistic statement, and it succeeds in being dreamy.

Astonishingly beautiful album, ethereal voices accompanied by heavenly instrumentals. It maintains to be consitent throughout with some real gems in between.

Where this album shines is in its vocal performance and in its atmosphere. Both are just so beautiful and almost otherworldly on this release making it a truly special listen. They create a consistent atmosphere for us which is dreamy and could be argued that it is blissful. This makes it so easy to get completely lost in the music and let the album fly past you especially with the 37 minute run time. This is primarily due to the vocal in my opinion with her stunning voice elevating every single song on here. Without her voice I do think it could be argued that the record would feel a little empty as she just ties everything together so perfectly. The instrumentals are still great but the vocal is the main selling point of the release for me. The style of music can also get a little repetitive by the end with the song Road, River And Rail feeling a bit unnecessary in my opinion. Overall, a fantastic vocal performance that helps to build a unique atmosphere that makes for a thoroughly enjoyable listen and an elite level album.

From JoaoMoreira 12/04/2022 23:27 | #291771

Ethereal is such a cliché thing to call music but that’s what this is.
Her voice is (another cliché) otherwordly and the way things are placed in the mix really create a very specific atmosphere that embraces you.
Great music from a great band.

From C_Krug2009 11/11/2022 03:15 | #291213

This album is top 10 material for me. Has everything I’m looking for in music. I feel bad for people who can’t hear or appreciate what there is to hear or appreciate here. Great Melodies and atmospheres on it. This album is wicked!

* Favorite tracks: All of them, but even more so Cherry-coloured Funk and Heaven or Las Vegas
* Least favorite tracks: N/A
* Who cares if the singing is mostly incomprehensible? The atmospheres created are other-worldly, truly a generational and genre defining album
* Dream pop shoegaze bliss
* Instrumental melodies and vocal performances equally catchy throughout the perfectly appropriate runtime of 37 minutes

100/100

If I were simply to read a description of this album, I would probably never bother with it. Scottish dream pop, with ethereal singing over synth-driven beats? Pass.

Instead, surprisingly, this record is beautiful. Well constructed musical progressions, highlighted by beautiful singing. I don’t always understand what’s being sung, but that’s of little matter on this record.

From LukasAntoine00s 12/12/2021 18:09 | #277424

86

Este disco es fenomenal. No tiene ni una sola canción floja. Todas oscilan desde buenas hasta obras maestra, como Cherry-Coloured Funk, que ha sido mi favorita, seguida de Heaven or Las Vegas. Esta banda tiene un estilo distintivo muy agradable. Por un lado la voz de la vocalista llega a notas muy altas y por otro, la letra es difícil de digerir, porque al no estar claramente pronunciada y por debajo de los instrumentos se puede interpretar de distintas formas. El estilo de Cocteau Twins me recuerda al dream pop de Julee Cruise por ratos y por otros al new wave y rock de Soda Stereo. Disco muy recomendable. Se va directo a mis favoritos.

From seb7 07/14/2021 18:15 | #271615

It's really good, and I can see the appeal, but something about it just isn't for me. Some of the songs just have instrumentals that I simply don't like. And the last song isn't really that awesome as everyone says it is. The title track is super awesome!

From VictorVale 04/13/2021 17:51 | #268502

Sublime, de ma beleza atmosférica, etérea e rockstar!