"Spleen and Ideal" is the second studio album by Australian band Dead Can Dance, released on November 25, 1985, by 4AD. The album marked a significant shift in the band's musical direction, transitioning from their post-punk and gothic rock roots to a neoclassical dark wave style.
The album was produced by band members Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, alongside producer John A. Rivers. Unlike their debut album, Spleen and Ideal saw the band abandon guitars in favor of a broader range of instrumentation, including cello, trombone, timpani, drum machines, and samplers. This shift brought in influences from medieval and classical music, contributing to an overall "monastic" feel, while still retaining some of the post-punk and gothic elements of their earlier work. AllMusic noted that with Spleen and Ideal, Dead Can Dance embraced a diverse mix of musical traditions, moving beyond their earlier goth influences into a more imaginative and expansive sound that would define their career.
The title of the album was inspired by 19th-century symbolist ideals and taken directly from Spleen et Idéal, a section of poems by French poet Charles Baudelaire from his collection Les Fleurs du mal. The album cover features an image of the partial demolition of Grain Elevator No. 2 at Salford Quays, part of the Manchester and Salford Docks.
