False Lankum sounds like industrial music from the 19th century and provides all the comfort of a late period Scott Walker album. And yet, the road of Lankum's career has resolutely led them to create this: a difficult, but defining statement, made at the height of their powers.
If modern folk music needs its own OK Computer, its own The Dark Side Of The Moon, or indeed its own F#A#∞, this may well be it.
Folk is extreme, centuries–old forms and the Middle Ages in the modern world, crazy multi–instrumentalists - experimenters with the soul of punks from Dublin, they play 30 instruments, only one mystical instrument of furs and threads creates magic, one of the most powerful and significant records of the year.
© 2023
So much of what I listen to these days just blends together and Lankum delivered a welcome break from the monotony. A wild and unique album that while not something I will likely revisit, I’m sure glad it exists.
Lankum may be a band of traditional music, but they seek to do anything but rehash tradition.
Their discography has warped the very nature of Irish music from its reputation as music for a night at the pub into something that feels unnervingly cognizant of the tumultuous history of the land and its people. For their 2019 record “The Livelong Day” the band spoke of how, “the way Irish culture is portrayed is often misrepresented… leprechauns are part of Irish ... read more
Straight out the vaults of neofolk tradition with this one. Mixing dark folk with noise music isn't exactly a new tradition, but these guys feel pretty refreshing for the genre. It helps that not every song sounds the same, which is often an issue with the genre. There's a lot to love here. I feel bad I missed this when it came out
Reworking traditional ballads of Irish traditional music, Lankum provide a convincing experience, enveloping the listener in a somber and melancholic atmosphere that masterfully merges tradition with a contemporary affinity for electroacoustic droning, post-industrial sounds, and hypnotic loops, creating an ominous and ritualistic ambiance. While I’m not too fond of the vocals (especially when playing solo), the album shines in its rich and multilayered arrangements, captivating with a ... read more
1 | Go Dig My Grave 8:38 | 90 |
2 | Clear Away in the Morning 7:00 | 80 |
3 | Fugue I 1:06 | 69 |
4 | Master Crowley's 5:45 | 80 |
5 | Newcastle 5:43 | 82 |
6 | Fugue II 0:59 | 68 |
7 | Netta Perseus 4:40 | 78 |
8 | The New York Trader 7:40 | 84 |
9 | Lord Abore and Mary Flynn 8:38 | 78 |
10 | Fugue III 2:05 | 68 |
11 | On a Monday Morning 5:12 | 77 |
12 | The Turn 12:58 | 83 |
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#2 | / | The Independent |
#3 | / | MOJO |
#3 | / | Spectrum Culture |