CURRENT 93 & HÖH: ISLAND

Frequently miserable and occasionally brilliant, 'Island' is quite unlike any other Current 93 album. This is mainly due to the fact that it is in fact a collaboration with with electronics whizz- kid Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson. The production values on 'Island' are far better than any of their previous releases. A young Bjork makes an early appearance which is a nice addition.

An ice cold recording that is less diabolical than it's satanic predecessors. At times it does get a bit silly and pretentious when you consider how overtly serious it sounds. The lyrics are, as usual, without hope - where man is destined to eternal damnation with no hope of re-birth. Portent of doom David Tibet makes sure of that with his willfully obfuscating lyrics.

Quite frankly, the whole album can be quite upsetting if you're not in the right mood for it. It could quite easily put you in a complete downer for the whole day. It did to me when I listened to this and 'Imperium' back to back whilst cycling to work a few weeks ago.

Thankfully there are one or two moments that, whilst not being upbeat, certainly enliven proceedings. 'Crowleymass' is the perfect Christmas carol for all anti-christs. Full of of references to Aleister Crowley and re-birth, it even has some electric guitars at work and is a good laugh to terrify employees at work with.

'The Fall of Christopher Robin' is a classy little tune which has excellent lyrics and is executed with real malevolence by Tibet. This sounds bizzarely like the early 'Human League' with lots of heavy electronics, although the vocals give it it's own definite identity. Clearly influenced by the German legend of Faust - it's all about a wee boy who basically sells his soul to Beelzebub.

What was almost a four star recording has to be trimmed back to three simply because the first half hour made me thoroughly suicidal. Sometimes 'Island' is beautiful but it is mostly depressing. I used to love this kind of stuff when I was younger, but now at 42 I find it quite hard to take. I guess it's just a sign of getting older. Bah!