Dawn

Durtro 002CD, 1987, Running time: 45:23

Dawn
  1. Great Black Time - 14:45
  2. Maldoror Est Mort - 18:16
  3. A Day in Dogland - 06:17
  4. Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus - 06:03

With Dawn, Current 93 make a slight return to their older, noisier selves. Parts of album really stand forward, to me, as some of their best experimental work. Parts, however, strike me as rather unnecessary, so I have somewhat mixed feelings about the work as a whole. Mostly, though, it’s quite excellent, containing one of my favorite experimental Current 93 pieces. Lyrics not included (not that there are very many).

The first track, GREAT BLACK TIME, happens to be my favorite piece on the album. It’s a swirling cacophony of bells and bells and noise and bells, with David Tibet reading a text (which sounds like it might be something by Lautreamont) over it all. A sample from “California Dreaming” (by the Mamas and the Papas) appears briefly. There are also some female vocals (Rose McDowall?), that sound like they might be part of a traditional tune. It’s interesting to note that this version of the song is not the same as the version that appeared on the LP. The LP version contained a slightly different mix, which included a loop from Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction.”

As the title implies, MALDOROR EST MORT is simply another remix of MALDOROR IS DEAD (which originally appeared on Nature Unveiled). I’m not sure why Current 93 felt there was more to explore with this concept, but apparently they did. Unfortunately, I think this is probably my least favorite version of the song.

However, A DAY IN DOGLAND more than makes up for the second track. The piece begins as a funeral march, but soon is mixed in with the usual choir, a bit of organ, and a man’s voice singing the traditional tune “Greensleeves” (accompanied by violin and mandolin). The effect is majestic and melancholy in the extreme.

The final track, EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS, is yet another MALDOROR IS DEAD-influenced noise excursion. However, it’s shortness makes it considerably more listenable than the 18-minute MALDOROR EST MORT.

No epilogue.