Eyes! China Doll cover

Eyes! China Doll

Recorded
Released

Edward Ka-Spel’s second solo album, 1985’s Eyes! China Doll, is one of his most intriguing, covering a variety of sonic approaches, from aggressive percussion to floating ambience to even a bit of reggae-informed rhythm, all while rich synth texturing and his ever-recognizable voice creates the feeling of rituals, sci-fi movie weirdness and general mystery. He finds space for some of his more extreme vocal approaches, thus the strangled screeches on “Avengelist,” while the lengthy “Hotel Blanc” is a striking multipart effort. Best song title, meanwhile: “Six Cats on a Dead Man’s Chest.”

Ned Raggett

Suggestions
In Ribbons cover

In Ribbons

Pale Saints
The Fragile cover

The Fragile

Nine Inch Nails
Black Sun Ensemble cover

Black Sun Ensemble

Black Sun Ensemble
So Lonely in Heaven cover

So Lonely in Heaven

The Legendary Pink Dots
The Young Gods cover

The Young Gods

The Young Gods
Bummed cover

Bummed

Happy Mondays
The Slip cover

The Slip

Nine Inch Nails