i'm the hostile architect without the pleasure

the best album ever produced

An absolutely beautiful ambient, field recording, and contemporary folk work. Unlike many other artists' ventures into the ambient and indeterminacy genres, Adrianne Lenker's soft composure and light touch on the atmosphere she records is really something special. Emotionally charged and soulful, I doubt something of this caliber will come along and be executed as well. I only wish it was longer.

An emotional 20-minute EP with soft, loving, blurred lyrics and skillful mastering. Few Slowcore and Indie Rock artists achieve this level of execution, especially due to Kai Wesener's use of unusual sounds a fading in and out of atmospheres. Though there are some drawbacks in the lyricism, there is not much to say beyond how amazing this production is for a 17-year-old. It is quite difficult to make it through the whole album knowing of Wesener's passing shortly after this ... read more

This album does so much with so little. The melancholy and lonely melodies floating on seas of undulating noise make for a cohesive and totally unparallelled experience. Pieces like Untitled (400,000 K.M.) and Untitled (Naoko) build up subtle soundscapes while Untitled (Sunrise), Untitled (On Seeing), and Untitled (Years Slipped Past) play with glitch noise effects that serve as a counterpoint for the melodic reintroductions. A notable standout beyond all the other songs is the intro piece, ... read more

Habib Koité & Bamada, if not the most important individual and groups of artists of the late '90s and early 2000s in Malian music, display extraordinary and unique sound in this 1995 LP. Koité's English, French, and Bambara singing works flawlessly with the playful and dancing Sub-Saharan African rhythms (with some recognizable Saharan influences on tracks like Fatma) and of these tracks, that you can't help but feel in your bones. Not to mention the skillful ... read more

Leche is certainly the strongest of Gregory and the Hawk's releases, displaying an aptitude for unique instrumentation that creates more indie-forward and energetic works while remaining true to the successful folk elements of her early releases. The tamber of the band plays well into GATH's often playful cadence. In this vein, her lyricism on this album is certainly one of the strongest, with imagery that feels much like the album's cover. Some standout (and catchy) pieces ... read more

Like many other artists, Ichiko Aoba's live recordings prove as one of the best settings to put on display all of her strengths. To track selection not only features most of her best works, but also displays Aoba's skills in composition and collaboration, as is with the 12 Ensemble in this album. The soft singing and muted, echoing melodies are unforgettable--each played with intention and melding together beautifully. Furthermore, her lyricism is unique, with nuanced and deep ... read more

As supported by her background, this sole "official" album is almost unbeatable as far as folk songs go. The songwriting is sweet, personal, and is supported by a fingerpicking style that is imperfect, and a pioneer towards much of the sound of successful contemporary folk artists like Adrianne Lenker or Haley Hendricks. Certainly on par with Linda Perhacs, Sibylle Baier, Connie Converse, Jim Croce, among others.

Overall very emotionally charged and a lot more intimate than Adrianne's typical work. Although her other songs have often gotten up close to many of life experiences, notably Songs, it feels like we get a window into an even deeper melancholy. The direction she takes and the play with stringed instrumentation makes this album more notable than many contemporary folk albums. Recording ambiance that isn't perfect also plays into the points above.