Dreamchild (album)



Dreamchild was the sixth solo album released by Toyah Willcox since leaving Toyah, and was released in 1994 via Cryptic Records in Germany. It is the album with the least amount of input from Toyah herself, as almost every track was composed by Mike Bennett, with Toyah contributing lyrics to only one track. The dance nature of the album also contrasts with the rest of her catalogue, making Toyah appear like more of a guest vocalist than the leading artist on her own album.

Track listing

 * 1) "Now And Then" (Bennett) – 4.41
 * 2) "Let Me Go" (Bennett) – 4.56
 * 3) "World of Tension" (Bennett) – 4.23
 * 4) "Out of the Blue" (Bennett) – 5.51
 * 5) "Unkind" (Bennett) – 4.48
 * 6) "Dreamchild" (Bennett) – 6.22
 * 7) "Lost And Found" (Bennett) – 4.44
 * 8) "Over You" (Bennett, Tacye) – 5.18
 * 9) "I Don't Know" (Bennett, Willcox, Mex, Tacye) – 5.16
 * 10) "Disappear (Bennett, Moran, Tayce) – 2.42
 * 11) "Tone Poem (Bennett, Moran) – 7.10
 * 12) "Now And Then (Extended X-Rated Mix) – 7.59

Phoenix [1997 reissue]
In 1997, the album was reissued by Receiver Records as Phoenix, featuring an additional track of the same name taken from the otherwise unreleased "Eternity (Madhatter)" sessions, and radically different artwork. However, it was missing the complete lyrics included in the original issue.

The sleeve notes in this reissue included the following explanation behind the origins of the album...

"Toyah's highly distinctive delivery gives the 'Phoenix' album the feel of a metaphysical journey which at times goes into a hauntingly infectious trance. This is particularly effective on the tracks "Let Me Go" and "I Don't Know", where Toyah's understated vocals evoke moody and surreal imagery. The album was predominantly written by acclaimed producer Mike Bennett whose credits for labels such as BMG, Trojan, Radikal and Creation Records include The Fall, BMX Bandits, Bob Marley, Sweet, Tacye, Kim Fowley, King Tubby and Lee 'Scratch' Perry. On the tracks "Now And Then", "Disappear" and "Unkind" Toyah sounds extremely mischievous against an aggressive backdrop of Hardbeat loops giving an effective contrast to the Latin flavour of "World of Tension" or the tranquil moods of ambient tracks such as "Lost And Found", "Over You" and the brilliant "Phoenix". This album is a musical excursion for Toyah who has always resisted the lure of the corporate machin in favour of taking risks and crossing musical boundaries."

Track listing

 * 1) "Now And Then" (Bennett) – 4.41
 * 2) "Let Me Go" (Bennett) – 4.56
 * 3) "World of Tension" (Bennett) – 4.23
 * 4) "Out of the Blue" (Bennett) – 5.51
 * 5) "Unkind" (Bennett) – 4.48
 * 6) "Dreamchild" (Bennett) – 6.22
 * 7) "Lost And Found" (Bennett) – 4.44
 * 8) "Over You" (Bennett, Tacye) – 5.18
 * 9) "I Don't Know" (Bennett, Willcox, Mex, Tacye) – 5.16
 * 10) "Disappear (Bennett, Moran, Tayce) – 2.42
 * 11) "Phoenix (Bennett, Tayce, Skeat) – 8.26
 * 12) "Tone Poem (Bennett, Moran) – 7.10
 * 13) "Now And Then (Extended X-Rated Mix) – 7.59

Dreamchild [2010 reissue]
'Dreamchild' was re-issued in the UK with an alternative cover and extra tracks by cherry red records in July 2010. In 1992, Toyah began preparing a musical which was to be titled Cindy X, and for which several songs were written and recorded. When the Cindy X project was abandoned, the songs were changed and revamped for inclusion in the original Dreamchild album; the added tracks include the original Cindy X versions of the songs. Also included as a bonus track is an outtake from the unreleased "Eternity (Madhatter)" sessions.

Track listing

 * 1) "Tone Poem" (Bennett, Moran) – 7.10
 * 2) "Now And Then" (Bennett) – 4.40
 * 3) "Let Me Go" (Bennett) – 4.57
 * 4) "World of Tension" (Bennett) – 4.23
 * 5) "Out of the Blue" (Edited; Bennett) – 4.49
 * 6) "Unkind" (Bennett) – 4.48
 * 7) "Dreamchild" (Bennett) – 6.22
 * 8) "Lost And Found" (Bennett) – 4.44
 * 9) "Over You" (Bennett, Tacye) – 5.18
 * 10) "I Don't Know" (Bennett, Willcox, Mex, Tacye) – 5.17
 * 11) "Disappear" (Bennett, Moran, Tayce) – 2.42
 * 12) "Open The Skies" (Bonus Track; Bennet) – 4.20
 * 13) "Another Way" (Alternate version of World of Tension; Bennet) – 4.37
 * 14) "Over You" (Cindy X Version) – 3.57
 * 15) "Let Me Go" (Cindy X Version) – 4.48
 * 16) "Lost and Found" (Cindy X Version) – 5.08

Personnel

 * Toyah Willcox – lead vocals
 * Paul Moran – keyboards, brass, programming and arrangements
 * Tacye – additional vocals and samples
 * Jay Stapley – guitars on 'Unkind' and 'Disappear'
 * Paul Mex – keyboards and programming on 'Over You' and 'I Don't Know'
 * Bob Skeat – bass
 * Martin Keating – additional programming
 * Angus Wallace – additional programming
 * Warren Bassett – additional programming

Production

 * Producer:Paul Moran and Tacye for Hyper V – 'Over You' & 'I Don't Know', produced by Paul Mex