Band:	Current 93
Album:	Soft Black Stars
Style:	Dark ambient, Experimental, Neofolk, Post-industrial
Release date:	1998

01. Instrumental
02. Larkspur And Lazarus
03. A Gothic Love Song
04. Mockingbird
05. Soft Black Stars
06. It Is Time, Only Time
07. Anti-Christ And Barcodes
08. The Signs In The Stars
09. Whilst The Night Rejoices Profound And Still
10. Moonlight, Or Other Dreams, Or Other Fields
11. Judas As Black Moth
12. Chewing On Shadows

The "A Gothic Love Song" 12'' had given an idea to the audience of Current 93 what to expect, but no-one was expecting how great and different the next attempt of the band would be, one of their most mature, emotionally, works up to date, probably the most for me.

Tibet and Michael Cashmore join forces, Tibet offers the lyrics and his vocal interpretation and Cashmore composes most of the musical part, based mainly on heart-rending and esoteric piano pieces, accompanied by the violin, the acoustic guitar, the viola and other instruments that would keep the fragile aesthetic of the new album, "Soft Black Stars".

The lyrics are deeply poetic and they come straight from the heart, romantic in their approach with a gothic aesthetic, having a nostalgic melancholy at times that makes memories knock back the door of your soul and try to break through your reality once again. The sense of the beauty of the stars, the tranquility of the night and the harmony of the sky and the sea are present in the poems/lyrics along with a female figure that always lingers in their melancholy, poems interpreted in the most appropriate way by Tibet, giving them voice and soul to echo in the corridors of our hearts. He just recites, nothing more, some of you may think that this can be done by everyone, but no, interpreting a poem in the most ideal way is something difficult and Tibet succeeds in an unerring and stunning way, pouring his soul into them, and it is deeply noticeable that without him the songs would have never been as great and emotional, perfect if you ask me, as they are.

The piano melodies float in the air like angelical melodies, evoking a serene melancholy that is present through the whole duration of the album, strengthening the neo-romantic gothic approach of "Soft Black Stars", consisting of the main instrument of the album. The piano pieces at times might seem the same, but this is not something negative, in the contrary, it is really helpful to show that the album is an entity, a heart, a soul that can't live in separate pieces. The intensity of the atmosphere relies not in imposing musical parts, but in emotion, pure emotion coming straight from the artist's heart flowing straight to the listener's and thus the simplicity of "Soft Black Stars" makes the album more rich and affected than the most complex composition because it is pure Art, connecting the artist with the audience.

Put a glass of red wine, turn off the lights, light a candle, maybe two, bring forth a picture of your beloved one, let the melodies of "Soft Black Stars" float in the air, from beginning to end, and lose yourself in the person that holds the keys to your heart. If you shed a tear, or even more, let them come forth, this is why this piece of Art has been composed, to touch you deeply?