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David Tibet, the enigmatic force behind Current 93, continues his unparalleled journey in the world of experimental music with the 2018 release of The Light Is Leaving Us All. This album, a testament to Tibet’s unique blend of apocalyptic folk and avant-garde soundscapes, draws listeners into a haunting realm where the boundaries between the mystical and the real blur. Known for his ability to fuse English folk traditions with modern classical elements and eerie spoken word passages, Tibet delivers yet another work that defies categorization, evoking a sense of Gothic unease reminiscent of artists like Scott Walker and Nurse With Wound.
The Light Is Leaving Us All stands out as one of the most haunting entries in the extensive discography of Current 93. Collaborating with a host of talented artists, including Reinier Van Houdt, Alasdair Roberts, and Ossian Brown, Tibet weaves a rich tapestry of sound that is both unsettling and beautiful. The involvement of Thomas Ligotti, a long-time collaborator and one of Tibet’s favorite authors, adds another layer of darkness to the album, particularly in tracks like “Bright Dead Star,” where Ligotti’s influence is palpable. The album’s creation is deeply intertwined with Tibet’s personal studies of Akkadian and Biblical Hebrew texts, as well as his fascination with historical mysteries like the Red Barn Murder of 1827 and the Witchcraft Murders of the 1940s.
The album’s title, born from a dream in which Tibet envisioned souls leaving their human vessels, sets the tone for the entire record. This theme of spiritual departure and the metaphysical exploration of light and darkness runs through the album, making it a deeply introspective work. Tibet’s ability to channel these esoteric influences into his music, much like contemporaries such as Coil and Swans, creates a listening experience that is both intellectually and emotionally engaging. The imagery of birds singing and kettles boiling juxtaposed with the macabre references to murder and witchcraft adds a surreal, almost cinematic quality to the album.
As part of a larger project, The Light Is Leaving Us All was remastered and released as a limited-edition picture disc, with refreshed artwork by Rob Hopeye. This reissue is one of the first in a series leading up to the release of Tibet’s autobiography in 2025, marking a significant moment in the legacy of Current 93. Each reissue, limited to 1,000 copies, is a collector’s item, encapsulating the essence of Tibet’s work over the decades. As Current 93 continues to evolve, The Light Is Leaving Us All remains a pivotal album that encapsulates the band’s ability to merge the ancient with the modern, the mystical with the mundane, in a way that few others can achieve.
