Back when I was at university, there was a period when I was very ‘into’ Dead Can Dance. The somewhat pretentious indie-ambient-arty-elegiac duo of Brendan Perry — who sung in ways you could understand, portentous and dusty — and Lisa Gerrard, whose breathtaking singing used ancient languages and voices I never managed to understand. Her songs always sounded thousands of years old. A fair few other collaborators joined them over the years since forming in 1981 and splitting in 1998. There is a reunion tour and album planned for next year.

At the time, my flatmates never ever understood why I loved them. I suspect many millions of people never would, even if I had the chance to tell them all.

Lisa Gerrard, as some may know, has gone onto greater things in the most recent years of her career. Namely co-writing the soundtracks to Gladiator and Tears of the Sun with Hans Zimmer, The Insider and Ali with Pieter Bourke, and writing Whale Rider on her tod. She and Brendan continue to write ‘album’ music, albeit separately and with others.

So, I was watching Ripley’s Game yesterday on Sky, and yet again, some bright spark decides to use snippets of Dead Can Dance’s The Host of Seraphim. Sacrilege. Yes, that’s the right word. It’s popping up everywhere nowadays. Future Sound of London sampled Dawn of the Iconoclast for their 1991 track Papua New Guinea and Chemical Brothers sampled Song of Sophia for their track Song to the Siren. Now this. Dear me.

Anyhow, I digress.

Listen to a Dead Can Dance album. Start with The Serpent’s Egg. Then work forwards and backwards. Or just buy the boxset or one of the compilations A Passage In Time or Wake.