Anna von Hausswolff’s new album breaks barriers
Vital organ · Singer-songwriter-organist Anna von Hausswolff plays the Acusticum Pipe Organ for her newest album, The Miraculous. The singer has been known to mix music genres, drawing influences from death metal. Later this year, she will embark on a tour thorughout the United States and Europe. – Photo courtesy of Other Music Recordings Co.
Whoever said classical music was boring has obviously never heard of Swedish singer-songwriter-organist Anna von Hausswolff. With so many titles attached to her name, von Hausswolff has attracted the attention of fellow female musicians, including singers Lykke Li and Kate Bush. Now, with her third album, von Hausswolff emerges into the mainstream eye. As someone who broke barriers in the instrumental world with her previous two albums, von Hausswolff returns Nov. 13 with The Miraculous, which promises to feature more of her unique musical acumen.
Part of what sets von Hausswolff apart is her employment of the Acusticum Pipe Organ in Pitea, Northern Sweden. The largest of its kind in Scandinavia, the instrument combines glockenspiel, percussion, celeste and vibraphone elements. On top of this, Hausswolff’s new album demonstrates her ability to marry traditional and out-of-fashion sounds.
The first song, “Discovery,” is reminiscent of Hans Zimmer’s direction from the Inception soundtrack. A heavy bassline introduces the track before launching into an ethereal melody, in which von Hausswolff expertly shifts between minor chords and runs. “Pomperipossa” not only highlights more of von Hausswolff’s strengths but also ties in current electronic music trends. In a fashion similar to Grimes, von Hausswolff shows that she will not be overpowered by the heavy background music. Of course, the star of the album is “Come Wander With Me/Deliverance,” a return to von Hausswolff’s black metal, Black Sabbath undertones found in 2013’s Ceremony. In this song, Hausswolff exemplifies her vocal range. Listeners will find the gothic anthem mirroring tracks from the Cocteau Twins.
However, other songs such as “An oath” and the title track “The Miraculous” fall flat. “An oath” deviates from the overall theme of the album. In an otherwise melancholic set, “An ath” tries to be catchy with its percussive backdrop. Additionally, with lyrics such as “That all will be there for you / Nothing is lost,” von Hausswolff detracts from the profundity of the rest of the songs. Additionally, one would assume that the title track would be the dominant force of The Miraculous, but the song relies too heavily on instrumentals. Though still a beautiful piece, “The Miraculous” fades into the rest of the album as it produces nothing striking.
Nevertheless, von Hausswolff proves she is no longer just an underground European music sensation. With her unique spin on sound, it is clear von Hausswolff is not here to please the masses, but rather to experiment with different layers of music. Ultimately, The Miraculous is deserving of all the critical attention it has been receiving so far.