Jenny Hval – “Apocalypse, girl” (2015)

Label: Sacred Bones/Tissue

Review by Warren Mayocchi

There are some albums that require effort to appreciate. Consider the opening track on “Apocalyse, girl” by Jenny Hval. The track is called “Kingsize”, it has a spoken word vocal with minimal music and sounds as backing. Bananas feature regularly within the lyric for “Kingsize”, “I rock the bananas gently/Move back and forth/Don’t wake them”. The track continues and later we hear, “I beckon the cupcake/The huge capitalist clit”. Are you intrigued? Do you want to hear what else happens on an album with this type of opening?

Beauty is in the ear of the listener and you will likely love or hate what Jenny Hval has created. Each song is a unique sound landscape that at times has the collage approach of “Revolution 9” by The Beatles, at times the musical beauty of the Goldfrapp album – “Felt Mountain”, at times the diversity that you could expect from Emilie Autumn. Do you engage with the lyric? Or do you let the experience take you where it will?

There is a video for the track “That Battle Is Over” and it does represent what you will find on the album. It is perhaps fitting that John Lennon is referenced in the song with the “Merry Christmas, War is Over” line. The Beatles are said to have been more concerned with the overall impression that their music created rather than the individual components. I feel that is what is needed in listening to “Apocalyse, girl” – ask not what it all means, rather ask what it means to you.

Rating – 78/100

Tracklist

1. Kingsize
2. Take Care of Yourself
3. That Battle Is Over
4. White Underground
5. Heaven
6. Why This_
7. Some Days
8. Sabbath
9. Angels and Anaemia
10. Holy Land

Links

facebook.com/jennyhval

twitter.com/jennyhval

youtube.com/user/rockettothesky

jennyhval.com/