This Mortal Coil were a British music collective led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the British record label 4AD. Although Watts-Russell and John Fryer were the only two official members, the band's recorded output featured a large rotating cast of supporting artists, many of whom were otherwise associated with 4AD, including members of Cocteau Twins, Cindytalk, Dead Can Dance, Breathless, The Breeders and Belly."Review: This Mortal Coil – It’ll End In Tears/Filigree & Shadow/Blood". Classic Pop, 6 December 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2025
The project is known for its gothic, dream pop and ethereal wave sound. Throughout their run, they released one extended play (EP), Sixteen Days / Gathering Dust, and three studio albums: It'll End in Tears (1984), Filigree & Shadow (1986) and Blood (1991). The former produced their modestly successful cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren", which peaked at number 66 on the UK Singles Chart. After the group broke up in 1991, former member Watts-Russell formed the similar group The Hope Blister.
History Watts-Russell had founded 4AD in 1980, and the label established itself as one of the key labels in the British post-punk movement. Following several releases, Watts-Russell developed the idea of collaborating under the name This Mortal Coil. The name is taken from a line in the song Dream Within a Dream by Spirit ("...Stepping off this mortal coil will be my pleasure..."), which in turn alludes to Shakespeare's Hamlet ("... what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil...").
The 4AD website said:
One of the label's earliest signings was Modern English. In 1983, Watts-Russell suggested that the band re-record two of its earliest songs, "Sixteen Days" and "Gathering Dust", as a medley. At the time, the band was closing its set with this medley, and Watts-Russell felt it was strong enough to warrant a re-recording. When the band rebuffed the idea, Watts-Russell decided to assemble a group of musicians to record the medley: Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins; Gordon Sharp of Cindytalk (later known as Cindy Sharp or Cinder); and a few members of Modern English. An EP, Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust, resulted from these sessions. A cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren", performed by Fraser and Guthrie alone, was recorded as a B-side for the EP. Pleased with the results, Watts-Russell decided to make this the A-side of the 7" single version of the EP, and the song quickly became an underground hit, leading Watts-Russell to pursue the recording of a full album under the This Mortal Coil moniker, 1984's It'll End in Tears.
In June 1998, Watts-Russell began releasing albums in a similar vein to his TMC projects, under the name The Hope Blister.
Discography Albums Studio albums Title Album detailsPeak chart positions UK UK Indie NL NZ It'll End in Tears Released: 8 October 1984 Label: 4AD Formats: LP, MC381—42 Filigree & Shadow Released: 22 September 1986 Label: 4AD Formats: CD, 2xLP, 2xMC532——Blood Released: 22 April 1991 Label: 4AD Formats: CD, 2xLP, MC28—58—"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Compilation albums Title Album details Dust & Guitars Released: 6 August 2012 Label: 4AD Formats: HDCD, digital download
Box sets Title Album details 1983–1991 Released: 30 March 1993 Label: 4AD Formats: 4xCD This Mortal Coil Released: 7 November 2011 Label: 4AD Formats: 4xHDCD
EPs Title Album detailsPeak chart positions UK Sixteen Days / Gathering Dust Released: 2 September 1983 Label: 4AD Formats: 12"100
Singles Title YearPeak chart positionsAlbum UK UK Indie BE (FL) NL NZ "Song to the Siren"1983663—398It'll End in Tears "Kangaroo"1984922——— "Come Here My Love"/"Drugs" (limited release)1986902———Filigree & Shadow "You and Your Sister" (Benelux and France-only release)1991——4213—Blood"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Contributions "Acid, Bitter and Sad" on Lonely Is an Eyesore (1987)
References
Sources
External links This Mortal Coil on 4AD website [ This Mortal Coil at allmusic.com] This Mortal Coil at trouserpress.com