Current 93 - Black Ships Ate The Sky

Label:

Durtro, Jnana Records

Catalog#:

DURTRO/JNANA 2112, DURTRO/JNANA 2112

Format:

CD, Album, Digipak In Slipcase

Country:

Released:

15 May 2006

Genre:

Electronic, Rock

Style:

Experimental, Neofolk

Tracklist

1	Idumæa	3:22
	Arranged By - Michael Cashmore Lyrics By [Text] - Charles Wesley Voice, Arranged By - Marc Almond
2	Sunset (The Death Of Thumbelina)	3:18
3	Black Ships In The Sky	3:38
4	Then Kill Cæsar	3:58
5	Idumæa	2:42
	Lyrics By [Text] - Charles Wesley Voice, Banjo, Tambura, Arranged By - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
6	This Autistic Imperium Is Nihil Reich	4:03
7	The Dissolution Of 'The Boat Millions Of Years'	3:57
8	Idumæa	4:19
	Cello - Ida Mercer Lyrics By [Text] - Charles Wesley Voice, Harp, Arranged By - Baby Dee (2)
9	Bind Your Tortoise Mouth	2:30
10	Idumæa	2:02
	Lyrics By [Text] - Charles Wesley Voice, Arranged By - Antony (3)
11	Black Ships Seen Last Year South Of Heaven	4:07
12	Abba Amma (Babylon Destroyer)	3:19
	Performer [9.29.82 Galaxial Compositions] - William Basinski
13	Idumæa	2:35
	Lyrics By [Text] - Charles Wesley Voice, Psaltery, Zither, Harmonium, Arranged By - Clodagh Simonds
14	Black Ships Were Sinking Into Idumæa	11:05
	Music By [Idumæa Section] - Chris Carter (2) Voice [Subliminal Threnodic Voice] - Amy Phillips Voice, Music By [Idumæa Section] - Cosey Fanni Tutti
15	The Beautiful Dancing Dust	0:57
	Voice, Piano, Music By - Antony (3)
16	Idumæa	3:06
	Lyrics By [Text] - Charles Wesley Voice, Dulcimer [Appalachian], Harmonica, Arranged By - Andria Degens
17	Vauvauvau (Black Ships In Their Harbours)	4:41
	Viola - William Breeze
18	Idumæa	1:50
	Lyrics By [Text] - Charles Wesley Performer [9.29.82 Galaxial Compositions] - William Basinski Vocals, Arranged By - David Tibet
19	Black Ships Ate The Sky	4:20
	Guitar - David Tibet Viola - William Breeze Voice [Subliminal Threnodic Voice] - Amy Phillips
20	Why Cæsar Is Burning Part II	2:48
21	Idumæa	2:42
	Concertina, Arranged By - Iris Bishop Lyrics By [Text] - Charles Wesley Voice, Arranged By - Shirley Collins

Credits

Artwork By [Hallucinatory Icons And Paintings] - Anna Cox-Dorée , Seth Cox-Dorée
Artwork By [Hallucinatory Scrawl] - Geoff Cox-Dorée
Cello, Arranged By [Cello Arrangments] - John Contreras
Guitar, Music By - Ben Chasny (tracks: 2, 4, 9, 17, 18) , Michael Cashmore (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14, 20)
Mastered By - Denis Blackham
Mixed By, Engineer, Music By - Colin Potter
Mixed By, Performer [Goatheard], Music By - Steven Stapleton
Voice, Music By, Mixed By, Lyrics By, Artwork By [Cover Design] - David Tibet

Notes

There are two versions of this release, one for the US market (purple cover) and one for the UK/European market (scarlet cover). The music is the same on both versions.

Both the North American and UK editions consist of the album in a full colour digipak as well as a 56 page colour booklet containing an introductory note on the writing of the album by David, all the lyrics, details of those who created the album, colour photographs of all the Current 93 family on the album, website details for everyone, Hallucinatory Patripassianist colour illustrations and BlackShipText on each page, and the names of all those who supported the recording, and the release, of this album by subscribing to it in advance.

Tracks 12 and 17 have titles in Coptic, and there is a lot of Coptic text on the CD, booklet and cover.

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Reviews & Discussion

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Rated 4/5

Review by eliks_postindustry Aug 29, 2006 (edited over 3 years ago)

A decent offering from C93, a bit overhyped, but still an interesting piece of mystical, apocalyptic music. Tibet should more frequently, and more often, invite his allies to sing his lyrics, therefore making the record more digestible, just like this one. He should also take more courage in departing from his usual jingle-jungle on a distorted guitar, and moaning poetic nonsenses like a medieval bard. His way is a bit more free here, which at the same time makes the album way more interesting and magnetic. Still though, it's C93 - bear that in mind.