Is All the Pretty Little Horses a good place to start with Current 93?

Yes, All the Pretty Little Horses is recommended as a starting point for new Current 93 listeners. Ethereal soundscapes blend haunting vocals and delicate instrumentation, evoking a dreamlike exploration of loss and longing. Released in 1996, All the Pretty Little Horses marked Current 93's artistic evolution following their acclaimed album Thunder Perfect Mind. This album further solidified David Tibet's enigmatic presence in the neofolk genre, showcasing his unique blend of poetry and music amidst a backdrop of shifting sonic landscapes.

Who is All the Pretty Little Horses for?

All the Pretty Little Horses works well if you're into haunting exploration of existence, wave-like pacing with resolution and immersive journey through darkness.

How many songs are on All the Pretty Little Horses?

All the Pretty Little Horses has 12 tracks, running approximately 53 minutes.

Released 30 years ago

All the Pretty Little Horses

Current 93 · 1996

53 min · 12 tracks · neofolk

Ethereal soundscapes blend haunting vocals and delicate instrumentation, evoking a dreamlike exploration of loss and longing.

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Top tracks — play these first

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The Long Shadow Falls Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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This Carnival Is Dead and Gone — This track encapsulates the album's melancholic essence with its vivid imagery and poignant reflection on mortality, making it a standout representation of Tibet's lyrical prowess.
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The Bloodbells Chime — With its hypnotic rhythm and evocative lyrics, this track embodies the haunting atmosphere that permeates the album, drawing listeners into its eerie world.
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All the Pretty Little Horses — The title track concludes the album with a haunting lullaby quality, synthesizing themes of innocence and loss that echo throughout the project.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

61 /100

Treeline

Higher than 71% of albums we've rated

The album's ethereal soundscapes and haunting vocals create a unique listening experience within neofolk.

What we noticed

The album features layered instrumentation with strings and ambient sounds that create a dense, atmospheric backdrop for the vocals.
Vocals are often delivered in a whisper or soft tone, enhancing the ethereal quality and contributing to a sense of intimacy.
Several tracks incorporate spoken word elements, which disrupt traditional song structures and add to the dreamlike narrative.
The sequencing includes abrupt transitions between tracks, which can create a disorienting effect that mirrors the themes of loss and longing.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 5/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

haunting exploration of existence
wave-like pacing with resolution
immersive journey through darkness
reflective moments of stillness

Maybe skip if you

seeking upbeat and fast tempos
prefer standalone tracks over cohesion

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Critical Peak — Significant acclaim in underground circles, pivotal for neofolk movement.
Themes: mortality and loss· haunting childhood innocence· apocalyptic folklore
Career context: Released in 1996, All the Pretty Little Horses marked Current 93's artistic evolution following their acclaimed album Thunder Perfect Mind. This album further solidified David Tibet's enigmatic presence in the neofolk genre, showcasing his unique blend of poetry and music amidst a backdrop of shifting sonic landscapes.
Stylistic neighbors: Death in June· Sol Invictus· Nature and Organisation