Current 93
Soft Black Stars

THE REVIEW

It's 1998, and David Tibet decides to give his Current 93 another turn in sound. The industrial and esoteric harshness of the past is now a distant memory, but with this "Soft Black Stars," considered by many as one of the most fascinating chapters of the group's vast discography, Tibet seems to want to distance himself even from that acoustic folk that appeared as the ultimate evolution of his creation.

There are not many words to spend on this work, extremely introspective, minimal, at times autistic. With its silences and its chiaroscuro, it presents itself to the listener as a labyrinth of black mirrors, at the end of which you find nothing more than your own reflection. The experience is therefore something closely personal, and the sensations change depending on who we are and the mood with which we approach it. The sound body here is supported by the melancholic melodies of Maya Elliott's piano (far from any virtuosity, closer indeed, in attitude and sensitivity, to an author like Satie), over which Tibet's voice emerges, even more subdued and fragile in this setting.

Sporadically, one might hear a cello or voices or the creaking of distant footsteps that the virtually non-existent production work has not silenced. A separate discussion should be made for the last track, a funeral ambient where the drones and electronic manipulations of the loyal Stapleton (the mind behind Nurse with Wound, also acting as a producer here) reappear, along with the distant arpeggios of Cashmore's guitar (from Nature & Organization, also on piano here), 10 minutes that do not substantially change the overall mood of the album, a challenging, hermetic, extremely personal work, far from any type of label or genre, and even from any other work by the group itself: of their apocalyptic folk, only the tense and extremely melancholic atmosphere remains, as well as the depth of an artist accustomed to not holding back and giving his all.

This is a work that, in its disarming simplicity, demands to be listened to, understood, and interpreted. This clarification is important because, at first listen, we might truly end up being disappointed, despite all the goodwill we might employ. It is certainly not a record for everyone, and I am convinced that many will not like it, judging it too verbose (probably rightly so if one is used to other sounds): the different tracks tend to resemble each other, they flow into each other without offering noteworthy variations, the piano melodies flow lightly and seemingly anonymously, Tibet's quiet singing does not provide jolts. The lack of lyrics in the booklet of the CD, which are very beautiful, doesn't help either (to be honest, in the version I own, even the titles are not reported — minimalism to the extreme! — but luckily, I think this has been remedied in the recent reissue). A work that presents very few variations, yet, if one has the patience to wait, the perseverance to metabolize these sounds, the willingness to find one's own way in this melancholic labyrinth, like magic the work changes face: listen after listen, it begins to reveal its secrets.

Treasures that are not given to us but must be conquered, grasped, caught between the lines, found in the recurring themes, in the melodies that die and are reborn in continuous references, in the fragility and poetry of Tibet's words, reminiscences and memories of a past and often denied life, the painful grip of repentance and remorse, the search for forgiveness, the desire for redemption, the hope of a rebirth. Follow his slow poetry, catch its nuances, an intonation, an accent, the way a word is pronounced, here it is a true hunt for emotions. Therefore, a work to be consumed like fine wine, in small sips. To be abandoned if necessary, and resumed later, when one feels the need. A deep, crepuscular work, rich in nuances like the streaked reflections of a sunset sky, capable of adopting different faces depending on the mood and conditions in which we listen to it. I myself am astonished at how every time this music manages to take on a different form, how each time a new detail emerges, an aspect not captured during previous listens.

This work changes, grows, matures with the listener. Let yourself be captivated.