In Mysterious Ways


In Mysterious Ways is a 1985 album by John Foxx, the follow-up to his album The Golden Section, released two years previously. It features some of the highly romantic style similar to 1981's The Garden album. Largely missing from this recording are many of the styles Foxx was known for in favor of a more soulful, contemporary pop sound.
The lyrics are of discovery and rediscovery and there is much vibrato-laden organ-playing on this record. There are acoustic guitars, mid-1980s home studio-sounding rhythm machines, live drums and glimpses of Cathedral Oceans -style ambient music in places—particularly in the "Enter The Angel" reprise. Although Cathedral Oceans was not released until 12 years later, Foxx has stated he started working on the material as early as 1983.
The cover art is in the collage style he had been presenting to his public since the early Ultravox! days. An expanded edition was released in 2001 and a 2CD 'deluxe edition' in 2008. Both of these CD reissues contain a running track order that is different than the original release.

Original track listing

  1. "Stars on Fire" – 5:35
  2. "Lose All Sense of Time" – 4:18
  3. "Shine On" – 4:41
  4. "Enter the Angel" – 3:58
  5. "In Mysterious Ways" – 3:06
  6. "What Kind of Girl" – 5:03
  7. "This Side of Paradise" – 4:38
  8. "Stepping Softly" – 3:59
  9. "Enter the Angel II" – 2:16
  10. "Morning Glory" – 5:54

    2001 reissue track listing

  11. "Stars on Fire" – 5:34
  12. "Lose All Sense of Time" – 4:18
  13. "What Kind of a Girl" – 5:03
  14. "Shine On" – 4:41
  15. "Enter the Angel" – 3:58
  16. "In Mysterious Ways" – 3:06
  17. "This Side of Paradise" – 4:38
  18. "Stepping Softly" – 3:58
  19. "Morning Glory" – 5:54
  20. "Enter the Angel II" – 2:16

    Bonus tracks


  1. "Lumen de Lumine" – 2:31
  2. "Hiding in Plain Sight" – 5:52
  3. "City of Light" – 3:38

2008 'deluxe edition' track listing

Disc 1

  1. "Stars on Fire" – 5:37
  2. "Lose All Sense of Time" – 4:21
  3. "Spin Away" – 6:43
  4. "Shine On" – 4:44
  5. "Enter the Angel" – 3:59
  6. "In Mysterious Ways" – 3:06
  7. "What Kind of a Girl" – 5:06
  8. "Stepping Softly" – 3:59
  9. "Enter the Angel II" – 2:16
  10. "Morning Glory" – 5:54

    Disc 2

  11. "This Side of Paradise" – 4:39
  12. "Enter the Angel" – 3:38
  13. "To Be with You" – 4:41
  14. "And the Sky" – 4:34
  15. "Magic" – 3:35
  16. "Hiding in Plain Sight" – 5:51
  17. "Shine On" – 5:03
  18. "City of Light" – 3:37
  19. "Lumen de Lumine" – 2:36

    Personnel