Dreamtime

Dreamtime is the debut on which THE CULT brought together post-punk tension, gothic-rock shadow and psychedelic floating. Ian Astbury’s incantatory singing and Billy Duffy’s glittering guitar generate a distinctive night air in each song. After the predecessor bands Southern Death Cult and Death Cult, they made a new departure on this record. Songs like “Spiritwalker,” “Go West” and “Horse Nation” have a sharp, mystical appeal from before they developed into bigger rock ’n’ roll. Songs like “83rd Dream” and “Dreamtime” breathe the band’s distinctive worldview too. A leaning toward Native American spirituality and spiritual imagery already shows its face. Shaping the 1980s British underground sensibility with distinctive singing and guitar, it is a record that shows the band’s origin.