PHANTOM BRICKWORKS

Bibio - PHANTOM BRICKWORKS
Critic Score
Based on 16 reviews
2017 Ratings: #267 / 940
User Score
Based on 81 ratings
2017 Rank: #326
Liked by 5 people
November 3, 2017 / Release Date
LP / Format
Warp / Label
Ambient / Genre
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CRITIC REVIEWS

92
GIGsoup
Although the album requires patience and an open-mind, it takes Bibio’s work to a new level, showcasing not only clear artistic vision but masterful composition and production.
90
The Line of Best Fit

It's easy to lose your place in tracks, and to lose moments of tracks you remember hearing on another listen. But what makes Phantom Brickworks extraordinary is not any particular moment. Like some of the finer electronic albums in the past decade, it's the sum of its parts.

82
Pitchfork

In a year in need of centering and a sense of calm, Phantom Brickworks lives up to its name; it feels haunted while also offering up a hope to rebuild.

80
Drowned in Sound
The overall effect is that of a fully original piece of music, extremely relaxing and imaginative, which effortlessly creates the suggested atmosphere of haunted places for the listener.
80
AllMusic

Hushed yet haunting, Phantom Brickworks offers a beautiful new perspective on Bibio's music.

80
No Ripcord

Entrancing in its stillness, Phantom Brickworks solidifies Bibio as an artist of remarkable versatility.

75
XLR8R
There’s a widescreen vibe to these tracks; with their patient, sometimes nearly imperceptible cycles of accretion and subsidence, they feel as much like landscapes as they do music.
70
PopMatters

As much of a lateral and exploratory move, this is for Wilkinson, and it is also a move forward away from a bad habit. Past Bibio releases tend to lose their identity in his experimentations, ending up as a pile of mixed goods. Here, on Phantom Brickworks, the theme is gospel.

70
Clash

Living up to its title, ‘Phantom Brickworks’ proves a spectral set, a fragile sounding record that confidently conveys the intent of its creator.

70
Northern Transmissions

While not always a constant draw by the end of a track, many songs offer compelling hooks and sounds that can make even their longest writing gripping.

60
Exclaim!
Wilkinson's eighth full-length shows the musician's adeptness at thoughtful, patient compositions, but he seems to have forgotten the value of self-editing.
laz456
90

I find this album vastly underrated. Wonderful ambient album with a chilling, enveloping atmosphere.

holsgr
50

enjoyable (★★★☆☆)

CollinClark
77

Bibio - Phantom Brickworks (2017)

Yet another album anniversary of the day (5 years old) Phantom Brickworks may be simply crafted but it's atmospheric ambient soundscapes honestly kind of took me away on a journey for 73 minutes. Some songs on here (09:13, PHANTOM BRICKWORKS I II III, BRANCH LINE) are dreamy Brian Eno-esque and would be perfectly suited for a sleepy time nap mix or when you are in the mood for something meditative. Other tracks (PANTGLAS, IVY CHARCOAL) seem to be more suited ... read more

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Track List

109:13
7:03
100
2PHANTOM BRICKWORKS
13:47
75
3PANTGLAS
4:31
75
4PHANTOM BRICKWORKS II
16:44
75
5CAPEL CELYN
8:12
75
6PHANTOM BRICKWORKS III
9:27
75
7IVY CHARCOAL
2:03
75
8BRANCH LINE
8:42
75
9CAPEL BETHANIA
2:44
75
Total Length: 1 hour, 13 minutes

Year End Lists

#11/Time Out New York
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Added on: November 2, 2017