Kirsty Hawkshaw was more than an ethereal beauty behind the
pop house outfit
Opus III. She may have claimed to be from another galaxy, but that quirkiness benefited the sonic grooves composed by the U.K. four-piece. Their debut,
Mind Fruit, (1992) was more than just another
techno record in the face of the genre's underground taking shape during the early '90s.
Hawkshaw's dove-like vocals transcended into freewheeling soundscapes; the remake of
Barton & Jane's
"It's a Fine Day" is melodically enchanting with loopy trance vibes and textured synth waves, but the crafty version of
King Crimson's
"I Talk to the Wind" composes a dreamy synthetic wave.
Opus III was barely a step ahead of
electronica's late '90s surge, yet it was just strong enough to join the ranks or move beyond the scene. This album, however, does define a healthy dose of what was yet to come.
Hawkshaw would later contribute vocals on cuts for
BT,
Deep Dish, and
Orbital. ~ MacKenzie Wilson
