Nepenthe
05-30-2007, 03:50 PM
I give it one more week before I completely run out of ideas for thread titles.
This week's band and album is quite different from the past two in that they are not a relatively new group. In fact, they (he) are relatively old. Current 93 has been releasing music for a good 20 or so years now. The music is a very unique take on the quite overdone genre of Neo Folk. Current 93 is in a completely different realm than most of the Kveldssanger-clones that flood the Neo Folk genre these days. Perhaps that's because he outdates Kveldssanger by a good decade. Regardless, Current 93 is Neo Folk for people who aren't normally into Neo Folk (of course, people who are will just like them that much more). The most noticeable and striking thing that stands out are the very prominant vocals. Vocals are the main ingredient here, just as important as the acoustic guitars, flutes, and violins. And they are what really makes this band what it is. David Tibet's (the main mind behind Current 93) voice is very unorthodox. At first, they appear to be completely awful and out of place, and even I thought this upon first listening. But, about halfway through the third track you begin to realize how perfect they are, how bloody brilliant they are. Tibet's voice is like that of a loony bard, cast out of his medieval town for singing songs of opposition against it's government. You wouldn't be at all surprised to hear this voice coming from that mad minstrel, sitting outside the walls of that medieval city lamenting about the corruption of it's government, or maybe about the death of his best friend, or perhaps the raping of his daughter and/or son by a viking man. It is ridiculously intriguing, and is just odd enough to be be captivating. But it's the way that it fits the music, and the melodies in which it is used that are so amazing. The music is nothing too extraordinarily far away from regular Neo Folk, but instead of being drenched in the sad and depressive sounds of most Neo Folk, it is dark in it's own way. It's darkness does not come from just how it immediately sounds to the ear, but how it actually feels. It does not just sound melancholic, but it feels melancholic, and it truly makes you feel the emotion, rather than just beating you in the head with preconceptualized moods and chords that sound like the emotion. Sparse use of the violins and flutes make their times in the spotlight all the more beautiful, as their parts are absolutely wonderful, and always add an incredible depth to the music, never just resorting to being there for the sake of being there. The female vocals, also used sparingly, are nothing short of breathtaking. Her voice is a wonder to behold, and the atmosphere created through her voice alone is awe inspiring. Near the end of the album, it quickly takes a trip down the experimental path, for better or worse (you decide). Ambience takes a much heavier role, and it strays much much further from the already distant traditional Neo Folk path that it is based upon. Whether the experimental stylings are your thing or not, there is still a multitude of majestic music here for your ears to enjoy, for Neo Folk and non-Neo Folk fans alike. It really is something that nearly everyone can find at least a few songs to really connect with. So descend with Long Satan and Babylon, to a postapocalyptic world that few bands of the genre, or any genre, can conjure up in such unique fashion.
The album I'm sending is Thunder Perfect Mind, which is some quasi intellectual reference to Crowley, as is the name of the group. You know the drill, just post your email and I'll use it to sign up for free pron. And I may send you a link for the album.
This is the ideal music for contacting, then communing with the most elusive of ghosts.
wow this one was long as ****
Past weeks:
Natsumen - http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=525177
The Gentlemen Losers - http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=524904
This week's band and album is quite different from the past two in that they are not a relatively new group. In fact, they (he) are relatively old. Current 93 has been releasing music for a good 20 or so years now. The music is a very unique take on the quite overdone genre of Neo Folk. Current 93 is in a completely different realm than most of the Kveldssanger-clones that flood the Neo Folk genre these days. Perhaps that's because he outdates Kveldssanger by a good decade. Regardless, Current 93 is Neo Folk for people who aren't normally into Neo Folk (of course, people who are will just like them that much more). The most noticeable and striking thing that stands out are the very prominant vocals. Vocals are the main ingredient here, just as important as the acoustic guitars, flutes, and violins. And they are what really makes this band what it is. David Tibet's (the main mind behind Current 93) voice is very unorthodox. At first, they appear to be completely awful and out of place, and even I thought this upon first listening. But, about halfway through the third track you begin to realize how perfect they are, how bloody brilliant they are. Tibet's voice is like that of a loony bard, cast out of his medieval town for singing songs of opposition against it's government. You wouldn't be at all surprised to hear this voice coming from that mad minstrel, sitting outside the walls of that medieval city lamenting about the corruption of it's government, or maybe about the death of his best friend, or perhaps the raping of his daughter and/or son by a viking man. It is ridiculously intriguing, and is just odd enough to be be captivating. But it's the way that it fits the music, and the melodies in which it is used that are so amazing. The music is nothing too extraordinarily far away from regular Neo Folk, but instead of being drenched in the sad and depressive sounds of most Neo Folk, it is dark in it's own way. It's darkness does not come from just how it immediately sounds to the ear, but how it actually feels. It does not just sound melancholic, but it feels melancholic, and it truly makes you feel the emotion, rather than just beating you in the head with preconceptualized moods and chords that sound like the emotion. Sparse use of the violins and flutes make their times in the spotlight all the more beautiful, as their parts are absolutely wonderful, and always add an incredible depth to the music, never just resorting to being there for the sake of being there. The female vocals, also used sparingly, are nothing short of breathtaking. Her voice is a wonder to behold, and the atmosphere created through her voice alone is awe inspiring. Near the end of the album, it quickly takes a trip down the experimental path, for better or worse (you decide). Ambience takes a much heavier role, and it strays much much further from the already distant traditional Neo Folk path that it is based upon. Whether the experimental stylings are your thing or not, there is still a multitude of majestic music here for your ears to enjoy, for Neo Folk and non-Neo Folk fans alike. It really is something that nearly everyone can find at least a few songs to really connect with. So descend with Long Satan and Babylon, to a postapocalyptic world that few bands of the genre, or any genre, can conjure up in such unique fashion.
The album I'm sending is Thunder Perfect Mind, which is some quasi intellectual reference to Crowley, as is the name of the group. You know the drill, just post your email and I'll use it to sign up for free pron. And I may send you a link for the album.
This is the ideal music for contacting, then communing with the most elusive of ghosts.
wow this one was long as ****
Past weeks:
Natsumen - http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=525177
The Gentlemen Losers - http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=524904