“Me and Liz decided we were just going to do some tracks with just acoustics and voice as our limitations.” Robin Guthrie
Victorialand
- April 1986
- 4AD
- CAD 602
- 32 min, 47 sec
Track listing
- Lazy Calm
- Fluffy Tufts
- Throughout the Dark Months of April and May
- Whales Tails
- Oomingmak
- Little Spacey
- Feet-Like Fins
- How to Bring a Blush to the Snow
- The Thinner the Air
Formats
- Vinyl
- Cassette
- CD
- Digital
Performers
Release notes
- Produced by Cocteau Twins.
- All titles written and performed by Robin Guthrie and Elizabeth Fraser.
- Richard Thomas plays saxophone and tablas courtesy of Dif Juz.
- Art direction and design by 23 Envelope.
- Victorialand reached #10 on the UK albums chart.
- An instrumental version of “Oomingmak” was released with the 1991 EPs and Singles Box Set.
- “Lazy Calm” and “Whales Tails” have been performed live since their release.
- “Oomingmak” was performed live with a new arrangement by Elizabeth Fraser during her Meltdown Festival solo performances in 2012.
- An ambient remix of “Feet-Like Fins,” by Mark Clifford, appears on the 1995 EP Otherness.
- “Lazy Calm” and “The Thinner the Air” appear on the 2000 compilation Stars and Topsoil.
- Victorialand was digitally remastered and re-released by 4AD in 2003.
- In 2020, 4AD re-released Victorialand with remastered audio pressed to 140 gram vinyl and the original 23 Envelope artwork and photography.
- The title takes its name from a land mass in Antarctica. Some song titles were inspired by David Attenborough’s 1984 programme and book “The Living Planet.”
Listen and buy online
Videos
Press
- Cocteau Twins featured on Spotify’s ‘Bandsplain’ podcast
- NEWS | 16-Sep 2021
- “Cocteau Twins Announce Garlands and Victorialand Reissues”
- Pitchfork | 30-Jan 2020
- “Cocteau Twins: Victorialand”
- Sputnik Music | 22-May 2016
- “Ether Madness”
- Uncut | Apr 2003
- “That Which Cannot Be Spoken: Divining the Heavenly Sound of Cocteau Twins”
- Option: Music Alternatives | May/Jun 1987
- “A British Trio Creates Haunting Melodies”
- Detour | Dec 1986
- Review of Victorialand
- Melody Maker | 16-Aug 1986
- “Waking Dreamers”
- Melody Maker | 03-May 1986
- Untitled
- Jamming | May 1986
- “Ooh, Baby”
- NME/New Musical Express | 12-Apr 1986
- “Cocteau Cabinet”
- Sounds | 04-Jan 1986