"It seemed inevitable that Anna von Hausswolff would make an album inspired by This Mortal Coil, the 4AD collective that covered songs by Gene Clark, Alex Chilton, and more, injecting them with its gothic touch. Iconoclasts, the sixth album by the Swedish musician out October 31, may feel more like conventional music to those accustomed to von Hausswolff's solo droning pipe organ compositions. However, Iconoclasts is easily her most exhilarating and emotionally wrenching album yet."
"Take "Aging Young Woman," which features Ethel Cain. If Iconoclasts is truly von Hausswolff's This Mortal Coil record, then "Aging Young Woman" is her "Song to the Siren" in its melancholy yet earwormy, beauty. Meanwhile, Iggy Pop turns up to duet on the devastating "The Whole Woman," his appearance adding a deep level of cred to the musician who is nowhere near a household name."
"At 12 tracks and nearly 75 minutes, Iconoclasts is a challenging but deeply rewarding listen. Instrumental opening track "The Beast" features saxophonist Otis Sandsjö who tears in, here and on many other songs, like John Zorn possessed. Meanwhile, "The Iconoclast" is the record's centerpiece, an 11-minute cri du cœur that alternates between shimmering instrumentals featuring Sandsjö's saxophone and von Hausswolff's impassioned vocals. " Can I be your dream?" she asks. " Can I change your life? ""
Anna von Hausswolff released Iconoclasts, her sixth album, on October 31. The album draws inspiration from This Mortal Coil while diverging from her solo droning pipe-organ works toward more conventional song structures. Iconoclasts spans 12 tracks and nearly 75 minutes, blending instrumental passages, saxophone flourishes, and impassioned vocals. Collaborators include Ethel Cain and Iggy Pop, while saxophonist Otis Sandsjö features prominently. The record's centerpiece, "The Iconoclast," runs eleven minutes and alternates between shimmering instrumentals and anguished vocal pleas. The album combines gothic textures, emotional intensity, and unexpected mainstream touches without abandoning von Hausswolff's distinctive intensity.
Read at SPIN
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