Album “Reviews”

The Miraculous by Anna von Hausswolff

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Anna von Hausswolff - The Miraculous

You’re hiking through a dense forest, when you come across a small pile of bones. There seems to be a trail of them leading between two massive boulders, so you take the plunge and begin to follow their guidance. You nearly trip on a brick, charred by an ancient fire, as you discover sprawling ruins among the trees. The air begins to hum loudly, colors in your vision change, and you are knocked out. You awake to find a city, intact and towering over you . . .

A refined personal folklore can be an artist’s greatest resource of creative inspiration. To craft a mythological world ripe with fleshed-out characters and stories is to birth a dimension stuffed with endless ideas, ripe for the picking. The Miraculous is the newest full-length from Anna von Hausswolff, a singer and multi-instrumentalist from Gothenburg, Sweden that transformed her lore-filled world into this wonderful record.

In order to make this album, von Hausswolff journeyed to Piteå with her four-piece backing band. The city is home to a piece of equipment called the Acusticum Pipe Organ, a colossus with 9,000 pipes — all submersible in water to produce new sounds — glockenspiel, vibraphone, and built-in looping/recording tools. These songs are sonically dense, hugely dynamic, patiently-unfolding compositions possessing an ancient energy.

The fictional realm that serves as the beating heart and title of this record, deemed “the miraculous place,” is vast and worthy of exploration. It’s pungent with the scent of high fantasy, and contorted with a unique, grotesque darkness. The enveloping drones may feel suffocating initially, but take some time to absorb your surroundings, and beauty emerges. If you’re seeking dark, dynamically raucous composition, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

The Miraculous by Anna von Hausswolff

Kannon by Sunn O)))

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Sun O))) - Kannon

All-encompassing darkness surrounds you, through which nothing can be seen. You feel nothing below you, and nothing in any direction. The silence is inescapable. You try to open your mouth and shout, but there is nothing to be heard. You aren’t sure if you even have a mouth. Something below you begins to rumble, and the air starts to vibrate. A distant cry can be heard, more faint than the smallest whisper. It is joined by another, and another . . .

Some types of music require a far different approach than listening just for the sake of enjoyment. This record isn’t just a collection of songs, but an experience crafted for transcendental purposes, and must be looked at as such in order to fully comprehend the artists’ intention. Kannon is the newest full-length from Sunn O))), a band from Seattle that have a knack for invoking the yawning infinite with guitar tone wizardry.

The group’s core members, Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson, construct towering soundscapes of ambience that slow time to a crawl. The glacially paced, guitar-focused instrumentation is complimented by the Gregorian-style vocals of Hungarian-born Attila Csihar, which lie somewhere amidst the traditional roars of metal and the far-reaching modal music of India. It is overwhelmingly intense and serene at the same time.

Kannon is presented as a representation of an aspect of Buddha: the “goddess of mercy.” It is shaped to embody the “sounds (or cries) of the world,” and acts as a vehicle through which expressions may flow, rather than an expression itself. There is a niche of yoga (Black YO)))ga) dedicated to absorbing and utilizing the full extent of this genre, and now you’re intrigued. If you’re seeking meditative doom metal, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Kannon by Sunn O)))

Kneedelus by Kneebody + Daedelus

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Kneebody + Daedelus - Kneedelus

You climb a massive tree’s vines, damp from the rain that ceased moments ago. The forest echoes with teeming wildlife, now hydrated and awake. You pause to inhale the expelled floral aromas that surround you, before reaching and slightly missing the next vine. You slip, and plunge to the ground below. You fall through the roots, and into a still body of water within an underground cavern. Two species inhabit the lands on either side. You listen . . .

Collaboration is a beautiful thing, and especially collaboration between seemingly disparate worlds of talent that results in marvelous cohesion. The latter is a strong suit of the jazz genre, and what a year for jazz this has turned out to be. Kneedelus is a collaborative full-length from funk-jazz group Kneebody and pioneering electronic producer Alfred Darlington, AKA Daedelus. Cohesion never sounded so wonderful.

Both acts offer equally high caliber performances that meld together in a remarkable state of unity. Kneebody’s concoctions of keyboard, bass, treated trumpet, and drums infuse organic life into the rhythmic electronics of Daedelus, creating progressive, funk-tinged jazz compositions in which every artist is highlighted. It’s often difficult to discern which sounds are produced by which artist, and that’s the true goal of collaboration.

The reemergence of jazz is in the air, and we can thank amazing labels like Brainfeeder for that. Steven Ellison’s brainchild has made huge strides in pushing the perplexing genre to the forefront of modern music. They released Kamasi Washington’s The Epic to lay a claim on 2015, and Kneedelus removes all doubt that the label is serious when it comes to jazz. If you’re seeking collaborative, experimental jazz, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Kneedelus by Kneebody + Daedelus

Nothing Bothers Me by Triathalon

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Triathalon - Nothing Bothers Me

You lie on your back in the afternoon sun that scorches the deck of your boat. The ocean is calm, and the distant horizon line can be seen in all directions. The air is still, the sails are still, and time seems to stand still, as well. You get up, and walk to the other side of the vessel. You find a button that you’ve never seen before behind a crate. You push it, and the boat descends into the sea. You breathe deeply, and ponder what you may find in these waters . . .

Most musicians spend their efforts refining the clarity of their recordings, in order to ensure that every piece of the puzzle is given its due space in the greater scheme of things. A select few artists instead focus entirely on the big picture, and utilize the ebbing haze of their sound to craft murky beauty. Nothing Bothers Me is the newest full-length from Triathalon, a band from Savannah, Georgia that falls into the latter category.

The album title/cover art combination perfectly embodies the placid mentality found across these songs. These tracks possess distinct elements of psychedelic surf rock, dream-pop, and shoegaze, performed with a meticulous attention to atmosphere and melodic detail. Frontman Adam Intrator’s falsetto cuts through the aqueous fog with twinkling vocal lines that emphasize the warmth contained in this gorgeous record.

The experimental flavors that this group incorporates are what set them apart from similar-sounding artists. Arrangements evolve through progressive structures, so many compositions end in completely different worlds from where they began. This is music that can wash blissfully over a listener, or it can be examined closely to reveal it’s true treasures. If you’re seeking progressive, surf/shoegaze-tinged rock, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Nothing Bothers Me by Triathalon

A Fragile Geography by Rafael Anton Irisarri

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Rafael Anton Irisarri - A Fragile Geography

You stand in the cramped chamber at the top of a desolate lighthouse, encased within transparent glass on all sides. The revolving fog light is turned off; any sea vessel can easily spot the jagged cliffs under the full moon. You walk out onto the balcony to smell the salt on the gentle breeze, but something else catches your attention. A black, orb-like cloud has appeared on the horizon, and it moves slowly towards you, and it grows ever larger . . .

Drone is a widely misunderstood genre. It’s deceptive simplicity and reliance on patient subtlety can be a turn-off for those just looking for the next big hook. It requires a bit more from listeners than most other types of music, but as this record shows, it’s usually well worth it. A Fragile Geography is the newest full-length from Seattle-based, New York-transplanted producer Rafael Anton Irisarri, a true master of the notorious musical style.

Patience is key when it comes to these compositions; six monuments of enveloping ambience that steadily evolve from emptiness to colossal mountains of woven, harmonic tones and back again. The shady atmospheres are palpable and deeply melancholic, but the melodies that shine through the haze are hopeful. Irisarri utilizes a concoction of piano, cello, and worlds of synthetic know-how to achieve this beauty.

This is one of the few instances where I’ll recommend a specific environment for experiencing this record. Cancel your plans, put on a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones, turn the lights off, get comfortable, and press play. Even if you can’t stand the thought of drone music, I urge you to give this one just 40 minutes of your time. You won’t regret it. If you’re seeking potent, ambient drone, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

A Fragile Geography by Rafael Anton Irisarri

Texture Like Sun by Mo Kolours

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Mo Kolours - Texture Like Sun

You sit in a bunker underground, while bombs ignite the land above. You have only an old radio, worn from burns, to accompany you. Negative reports are spewed across ever station, but you keep turning the dial until you come across a sound that radiates with warmth even through the fog of static. You blink, and you’re sitting in a small wooden hut. The radio is off, and the music now comes from outside. You exit the dwelling, and enter a vibrant jungle . . .

Most artists spend far too much time and effort censoring themselves in an effort to present a polished product that falls within a grid-like structure. True beauty is often found in the loosest moments of free-flowing composition. Texture Like Sun is the newest full-length from half-Mauritian, half-British producer Joseph Deenmamode as Mo Kolours. Deenmamode melds a world of cultural influences with a collagist mentality.

This record plays like a radio that drifts through different stations, stitched together by fuzzy static and compelling, frequently comedic samples. The producer has a knack for composing irresistible grooves, usually possessing elements of dub, funk, and/or hip-hop, that could play forever without wearing out their welcome. Deenmamode talk-sings over the warm instrumentation with a smooth, stream-of-consciousness approach.

The best part about these songs is that they feel alive; they sound like they’re being conceived and performed by multiple people for the first time, in miraculous displays of cohesive improvisation. Sure, the lyrical topics may be grim, but the melodies that the words carry and the music itself are dreamy and staggeringly euphoric. Lose yourself in this one. If you’re seeking collagist, dub/funk/hip-hop tinged beats, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Texture Like Sun by Mo Kolours

Mutant by Arca

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Arca - Mutant

It’s dark. You press a switch on the wall to your left. Flickering lights illuminate the cramped corridor in front of you. One-way glass windows canvas the walls on both sides, looking into individual chambers. You peak into the first window on your right. A creature of unknown species lumbers out from the shadows, distorted with mechanical limbs. Another inhabits the next cell. You continue down the hall, looking into each scene of unique, grotesque beauty . . .

What a year for experimental music, and we aren’t even finished yet. Many artists have excelled in conceiving compelling new ideas and organizing them into cohesive statements, but no one has summoned sublime moments from within abstract, seemingly random instrumentation with more grace than this artist. Mutant is the newest full-length from Venezuelan-born producer Alejandro Ghersi, AKA Arca.

Ghersi’s music is best defined by its fluidity. His compositions are almost never restricted to just one tempo or time signature, and they often resemble symphonic chamber music trapped within pulsing rhythms and otherworldly electronic experimentation. Having collaborated with FKA Twigs and Kanye West, Ghersi is well-versed in the art of creating melodies, and he masks them in entrancing soundscapes.

Mutant‘s ugliness is also where its beauty exists. The genius of Ghersi is unveiled when he forces two disparate elements to clash, like a ghostly piano solo in a fog of industrial ambience (“Else”), or glowing synths over a stomping beat (“Enveloped”). Dedicate a focused listening to the entirety of this one, and I guarantee it will transport you elsewhere. If you’re seeking chamber-tinged experimentalism, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Mutant by Arca

4 Walls by f(x)

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f(x) - 4 Walls

A hatch door swings open, and you crawl into the large orb. The hatch shuts behind you, and the spherical vessel roars to life. You feel yourself and your container thrust quickly into the air. The strong gravitational force presses against your body, until you steadily level out into a calm hover. The dark walls of the orb mutate into transparency, revealing a vast concert hall filled with twinkling lights and people within orbs of many sizes. Spotlights hit the stage . . .

I finally understand the hordes of ravenous fans that flock to k-pop events. The genre is infectious, undeniably fun, and suffers little from cultural barriers (Korean happens to be one of the most musically euphonious languages). 4 Walls is the newest full-length from k-pop quartet f(x). The album title refers to the group’s recent alteration from five members to four, and the lineup change results in a captivating rebirth of their sound.

K-pop tends to embrace the pop sensibilities of the West, and no k-pop group has refined and expanded on those influences more extensively than these four ladies. Victoria, Amber, Luna, and Krystal each possess unique nuances — Amber raps, while the others bolster distinct harmonic elements and perform melodies in different ways — and the crystalline electronic instrumentation soars with upbeat, body-moving bliss.

Western listeners need not fear the language barrier when it comes to these songs, because they undoubtably require to be felt more than understood on a lyrical basis. Fans of acts such as Hot Chip and Grimes will surely discover the tantalizing allure of this lively record, and any individual that likes to have fun should absolutely give it a fair shot. If you’re seeking euphonious, intricately-composed k-pop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

4 Walls by f(x)

Shadow Of A Doubt by Freddie Gibbs

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Freddie Gibbs - Shadow Of A Doubt

You sit on a lacerated couch that feels stuffed with something, in the dingy living room of a small house. A layer of pungent smoke hovers just below the ceiling and extends nearly to the ashen carpet. The front door slams open, and five hooded individuals carrying duffle bags and firearms run in. They slam the door behind them. You stay completely still. They cannot see you. They begin to board up the windows, and take smaller bags out of the duffle bags . . .

Artists embody the reality that they live, no matter how absurd it may seem to outsiders. Listeners ought to remember that while delving into this monster of a record. Shadow Of A Doubt is the newest full-length from rapper Freddie Gibbs. After the overwhelming success of last year’s Piñata, produced entirely by studio mastermind Madlib, Gibbs follows up by enlisting a star-studded cast to help create one of his best albums to date.

The versatility of Gibbs is unmatched. He adapts to and takes control of any environment he inhabits, which transforms the stuffed feature list from a harrowing initial sight into a treasure trove of possibilities. Production credits include Boi-1da, Mike Dean, Kaytranada, and a dozen others. The featured vocalists are even more impressive, with Black Thought, Gucci Mane, Dana Williams, E-40, and more all included.

The artists that choose to approach topics pertaining to gang violence and drug culture tend to do so from a distance, and the select few that speak from personal experience usually contort the potency into dramatized composition. Freddie Gibbs doesn’t fall into either of these categories. He presents the truth upfront, and censors not one single detail. If you’re seeking potent, trunk-rattling hip-hop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Shadow Of A Doubt by Freddie Gibbs

Dark Sky Island by Enya

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Enya - Dark Sky Island

You stand upon a creaky wooden ship, looking out into the foggy night. The turbulent waves subsided hours ago, but you fear that the vessel has taken on too much water. Just when all hope seems to have sunk, a seraphic tone pierces the frigid air. The haze surrounding the ship dissipates, revealing an island nearby. You steer towards the entrancing tone, and anchor at a dock illuminated by the full moon. You step off the boat and follow the irresistible sound . . .

Some voices are timeless; they evoke specific worlds that require no adjustment in order to create something captivating for the listener to experience. However, some voices possess the timeless quality and also seize the opportunity to subtly tweak elements to create something sublime. Dark Sky Island is the newest full-length from Enya Brennan, an Irish singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist that really needs no introduction.

I have yet to encounter a soul with a dislike for Enya; I don’t think it’s possible. Her angelic singing voice and enveloping compositions wrap around listeners like a blanket, transporting them to the tranquility that exists in a place far away from reality. The golden formula of classical instrumentation tinged with pillowy electronics is lush as always, while her songwriting is the sharpest and most poignant it’s ever been.

This isn’t just an impressive collection of songs, it can also serve as relief from stress or anxiety. Enya has always embraced the easy-listening genre with more grace and artistry than anyone, and this release is evidence of her long-lasting relevancy. She creates aural landscapes to escape into, locations that place no burdens and require nothing from its visitors. If you’re seeking serene, patiently evolving ambience, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Dark Sky Island by Enya