Handful of Snowdrops Cover Clan of Xymox’s “Back Door”

Clan of Xymox brought a darkly aggressive edge to the classic ethereal 4AD sound that was typified by This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins. One of the best examples of this is the song “Back Door” from 1986’s Medusa. Flash ahead three decades, and Québec City’s long-running (and self-described) “alternative melodramatic electro rock band” Handful of Snowdrops have released a “Back Door” cover that is extremely faithful to the original.

The duo of Jean-Pierre and Michel Mercier recorded the cover as a favor to a fan who had contributed to the fundraiser campaign for their 2015 album III (which is also worth checking out). The duo’s cover highlights all that’s great about the song: the pulsing electronic rhythms, the ghostly synths and bassline, the detached vocals — they’re all there, and they sound as fantastic as ever.