The Pink Opaque

This 1986 compilation that introduced Cocteau Twins to North American listeners tantalizingly highlights the tensions that define the UK group’s early work; it’s equally eye-opening for both newcomers and longtime fans. Pummelling drum machine and ringing sheets of guitar give “Wax and Wane” its ominous, gothic edge; the swirling “From the Flagstones” suggests the more dulcet developments in the band’s future. Then there’s “Lorelei,” which pairs Elizabeth Fraser’s heavenly voice with blindingly bright guitars and bells: a vision of pop at its most divine.