Jenny Hval has described ‘Classic Objects’ as being “interested in combining heavenly things and plain things,” and therein arguably lies a primer for all of the Norwegian polymath’s work. Hval’s albums carry certain known quantities – soaring vocals in the chorus, reflections on the human body and society’s prismatic distortions of it, lyrics seemingly written with no consideration paid to rhythm or meter – but the intersection of the divine and the mundane feels like an essential theme.
Regardless, Hval’s music remains endlessly fresh and innovative. ‘Year of Love’ opens the record with a palm-muted guitar riff, unexpectedly, and from there ‘Classic Objects’ blossoms into classic Jenny Hval, ‘Cemetery of Splendour’ and ‘Jupiter’ forming its plain, heavenly, skyscraping highlights.
8/10
Words: Matthew Neale
Dig This? Dig Deeper: Fever Ray, Arca, Mothermary
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