Raymonde, meanwhile, goes into more detail about its origins:

This was one of the last tracks recorded for the album, though it came from the ashes of one the first improv sessions Richie (Thomas) and I had. Listening back to what we started with, I jettisoned the drums and most of the guitars but salvaged a small part of it and turned it into something brand new. Then I had the amazing David Rothon -who I had seen play live with Marissa Nadler a few nights before - and long-time collaborator Fiona Brice add pedal steel and strings respectively. Sitting quietly in the studio with our spacey slice of instrumental swirl, I closed my eyes to imagine a voice. While much of his recent work involves synths and crunchy beats, how he magnificently handles cinematic melancholy in his own work, and specifically in the Scott Walker Prom for the BBC, I knew my dear friend John Grant would nail this. I hoped he might enjoy the freedom of creating some melodic magic alongside elegant emotional lyrics. I sent him the piece, aware that he is always so incredibly busy, and tried to keep my expectations low, in case he had to turn it down, but to my utter and continuing delight he said yes and I’ll have to admit to shedding a tear or two when he sent me back the completed vocal a few weeks later.

Check out "Cordelia" -- along with the previous single, album art and tracklist -- below.

Simon recently talked to us about the making of Cocteau Twins' Heaven or Las Vegas, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary, while Richie's old band Dif Juz featured on our list of great, non-Cocteau songs that Liz Fraser sang on.