Current 93 / HÖH* - Island


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Label: Durtro
Catalog#: DURTRO 006CD
Format: CD, Album
Country:UK
Released:1991
Genre: Electronic
Style: Industrial, Neofolk
Credits: Artwork By [Cover] - Babs Santini
Bass - Tómas M. Tómasson (tracks: 2, 7, 12)
Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Harp, Percussion, Engineer, Producer - HÖH*
Mixed By - HÖH* , Tómas Tómasson*
Vocals - David Tibet
Notes:Recorded at Studio Syrland and Hot Ice, Iceland between 1986-1991. Mixed at Studio Syrland 1990-91.

The Dream Of A Shadow Of Smoke is dedicated to the beloved memory of Karl J. Sighvatsson.

Much of this music forms the basis for HÖH's soundtrack to an Icelandic film called "Children of Nature".

The CD version of this album includes a few extra tracks, including "Crowleymass Unveiled" (a remixed version of the song from the Crowleymass 12"), "Paperback Honey" and "Christopher Robin" (two extremely amusing and atypical songs), "Fields of Rape and Smoke" (in Icelandic), and "Merry-Go-Round and Around" (basically a reprise of "Oh Merry-Go-Round").
Rating: 4.38/5 (55 votes) Rate It
264 have this / 44 want this
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Tracklisting:

1   Falling (4:22)
    Backing Vocals - Akiko Hada , Björk Gudmundsdóttir*
2   The Dream Of A Shadow Of Smoke (5:21)
    Vocals - Ása Hlín Svavarsdóttir
3   Lament For My Suzanne (4:19)
4   Fields Of Rape (Sightless Return) (2:51)
    Backing Vocals - Liz Aster
5   Passing Horses (4:26)
    Guitar - Godkrist (2)
6   Anyway, People Die (7:04)
    Bells, Drums - Venerable 'Chimed Rig'dzin Lama, Rinpoche, The*
  Violin - Joolie Wood
7   To Blackened Earth (4:14)
8   Oh Merry-Go-Round (3:45)
    Backing Vocals - Bogomil Font , Johnny Triumph , Liz Aster
  Violin - Joolie Wood
9   Crowleymass Unveiled (7:38)
    Backing Vocals - Einar Örn , Johnny Triumph
  Guitar - Godkrist (2) , Thór Eldon*
10   Paperback Honey (4:53)
    Backing Vocals - Rose McDowall
  Drums, Percussion - Birgir Baldursson
11   The Fall Of Christopher Robin (4:52)
12   Fields Of Rape And Smoke (2:49)
    Backing Vocals - Einar Örn , Rose McDowall
13   Merry-Go-Round And Around (3:46)
User Reviews:
thezovietdada, May 09, 2008

This is Current 93s "electronic" album, but a perhaps more apt description is that its their 4ad album. Its what youd expect from that description, lots of absolutely spine-chillingly beautiful moments ("Falling," "Anyway, People Die") and a fair share of cheesy synth pop ("Crowleymass"). Also, the instrumentation is reminiscent of 4ad greats like This Mortal Coil or especially that 1987 Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook album, "Sleeps With the Fishes." Lots of digital synth pads, bells, and strings, with an austere neo-classical or Arvo Pärt-esque composerly approach. Really any instruments that amp the emotionality up as much as possible. While I know Crowleymass is supposed to be a comedy song, against the other intense, somber works of the album, its a sour note. Nevertheless the first four songs of the album still nearly bring me to tears, it is definitely reminiscent of Iceland to me (Ísland is Icelandic for Iceland), a special place of crisis, pilgrimage and transition. Things Im sure it meant for David Tibet as well.

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