Blunt’s sometimes off-putting presence is much easier to accept when he gives this much agency to the listener, recognizing again and again that we must all frame our experiences in our own ways or risk feeling nothing at all.
In many ways The Redeemer is like a half remembered dream, an esoteric vision which could feel awkward and fragmentary, but instead elevates itself above the sum of its many parts to create something genuine, surprising and often transcendent.
Faced with trying to communicate a feeling as raw as lost love, he too has reached for the cliches. They may be banal and apparently devoid of sincerity, but for Blunt, they capture our inability to say what we mean or mean what we say in these strange, post-ideological times.
These are assemblages, rather than organic pieces. And yet, paradoxically, the subject matter, concerning love and loss and ended relationships, is emotionally bruised. Blunt is painfully and genuinely opening his heart.
On The Redeemer, our wayward experimentalist bought himself a pair of sonic glasses and consequently found a surprising sincerity in himself.
The Redeemer ends up somewhere between sarcasm and sensitivity, but can't dig deep enough in either direction to provide something that's worth returning to.
A strange record, but an intriguing planet to get sucked into.
You haven't listened to this album until you've listened to it on a 144p YouTube video with a Hindi title in the middle of the night.
The Redeemer is not as cryptic and disturbing as The Narcissist II but still Dean Blunt creates a mysterious world that I just want to explore more and more.
Instrumentals are great with the hypnagogic pop atmosphere and a lot of sounds of nature on tracks like The Seven Seals of Affirmation and Walls of Jericho. Dean Blunt's vocals are great as usual, he can put me in a trance with his monotone voice.
Also, Arca produced the 6th track which is insane for me.
Actually so charming and was amazing at creating an atmosphere and story, so chill and relaxing, did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. smooth stuff.
This album builds a world like no other. Piloted by such an interesting artist and person. But a lot of the time, it lacks substance. The features kill it though.
1 | I Run New York 0:36 | 81 |
2 | The Pedigree 2:27 | 89 |
3 | Demon 5:00 feat. Joanne Robertson | 87 |
4 | Flaxen 4:09 | 81 |
5 | Flaxen 0:50 | 62 |
6 | The Redeemer 3:32 feat. Inga Copeland | 89 |
7 | The Seven Seals of Affirmation 2:14 | 79 |
8 | Walls of Jericho 3:44 | 81 |
9 | Make It Official 1:44 | 71 |
10 | Need 2 Let U Go 2:34 | 81 |
11 | Dread 0:58 | 61 |
12 | Y3 1:31 | 78 |
13 | Papi 2:17 | 88 |
14 | MMIX 0:55 | 55 |
15 | All Dogs Go to Heaven 5:33 | 75 |
16 | Imperial Gold 2:28 feat. Joanne Robertson | 86 |
17 | Predator 0:14 | 59 |
18 | Brutal 3:23 | 82 |
19 | Par 0:06 | 50 |
#1 | / | FACT Magazine |
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#26 | / | The Wire |
#35 | / | The Quietus |
#66 | / | Crack Magazine |