Album Reviews:
2010: The Age of Adz
The Age of Adz
Album: Genre Acquisition, 5/10 | Released: 2010 | Specific Genres: Art Pop, Glitch Pop | Main Genre: Pop, Electronica | Undertones: Indietronica, Chamber Pop, Folktronica, Progressive Pop | Label: Asthmatic Kitty
It gives it all it gots
Regularly bookmarked as the dark horse of his albums – the “true fan” favourite, the masterpiece for the privy – Age of Adz certainly delivers in quantity, or, rather, quantitativeness: This is certainly “the most” of his multi-layered, dense art pop, its texture constantly hustling for the woozy vibrations holding together our celestial bodies. The album’s synthetically engineered orchestral sound with tingling triangles, cinematic choirs, flutes and glitchy beats is always on the move – as if afraid of a moment with too much room for contemplation. I’m no particular fan of Stevens’ fey, shimmering vocal festoons or his repetitive melodies (mentioned movement is all in the intricate, inventive arrangements) – but if this is your cup of tea, be sure to indulge.
Text Lambrecht 