Children of God / World of Skin

Experimental · 1997 · 30 tracks

Children of God / World of Skin

1997 · Gourmet Recordings

This is an album for those who seek beauty in the bleak, solace in the somber, and catharsis in the profound. 'Children of God / World of Skin' unfurls as a vast, gothic tapestry woven from dark folk, post-punk grandeur, and ambient introspection.

It's a journey through spiritual desolation and yearning, where Michael Gira's commanding baritone and Jarboe's ethereal counterpoints guide you through landscapes of immense power and delicate fragility.

Expect epic, slow-burning anthems that build to overwhelming crescendos, interspersed with haunting, atmospheric pieces that linger like a cold mist.

This compilation is essential for anyone wanting to delve into the heart of Swans' transformative mid-period, offering both their ritualistic rock mastery and the intimate, experimental depths of their collaborative side project.

It's an album to own for its sheer emotional weight, its unique blend of the sacred and the profane, and its enduring capacity to evoke deep, complex feelings.

Tracklist · 30 Tracks

01

New Mind

5:13

01

You’re Not Real, Girl

4:19

02

Beautiful Child

4:52

02

In My Garden

5:35

03

Our Love Lies

4:31

03

Blackmail

3:34

04

Sex, God, Sex

6:39

04

Trust Me

4:59

05

Real Love

6:23

05

Blood and Honey

4:47

06

Blind Love

7:46

06

Like a Drug (Sha La La La)

5:35

07

Children of God

4:22

14

I’ll Swallow You

4:16

15

1,000 Years

4:02

16

Everything at Once

4:22

17

Cry Me a River

4:48

18

Breathing Water

4:18

19

Blood on Your Hands

3:53

20

Nothing Without You

5:43

21

We’ll Fall Apart

4:43

22

I Want to Be Your Dog

3:35

23

My Own Hands

4:38

24

Turn to Stone

5:21

25

Cold Bed

2:25

26

24 Hours

4:13

27

Red Rose

4:29

28

One Small Sacrifice

6:43

29

Still a Child

5:22

30

The Center of Your Heart

4:48

Moments Worth Listening For

The overwhelming, almost hymn-like build-up of 'New Mind,' showcasing Gira's commanding baritone and the band's signature dynamic shifts.

The ethereal, almost operatic vocal interplay between Michael Gira and Jarboe on tracks like 'Blackmail' or 'In My Garden,' creating a sense of dark, sacred beauty.

The stark, acoustic-driven despair of a track like 'Blood and Honey,' where the raw vulnerability is amplified by sparse instrumentation.

The unsettling, ambient drone passages from the 'World of Skin' material, which create a palpable sense of dread and introspection.

Where This Album Departs

How does Children of God / World of Skin sound next to the rest of Swans's catalogue?

This album stays in step with the catalogue across the board — no axis departs enough to be worth its own note. Hover the dots to see where each one sits.

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