Lightarmour Editions

LIGHTARMOUR EDITIONS MOMENTS #8 - Anna Von Hausswolff & The Siren Of Mortality…

I came across Anna Von Hausswolff only recently and it impacted me as much as a recent gig by brilliant Progressive Metal-lers Opeth - both from Sweden. When reviewers use such broad and disparate words to describe an artist it’s almost always a sign of their originality; Art pop / Neoclassical / Ambient Pop / Ethereal Wave / Gothic Folk / Experimental Rock / Drone / Funeral Pop / Post Metal / Sacred Ambient Dread - these terms all apply in some way, but you may come up with other words after listening to at least the three clips linked below. Mountains Crave is one of her most beautiful tracks (I have it on loop often in the studio), Deathbed is one of her darkest, and The Mysterious Vanishing of Electra is a great halfway for Hausswolff initiation. Electra is the key figure in a greek mythological tale of vengeance, and the accompanying video is as memorable as Demdike Stare’s ‘Savage Distort’. Perhaps, like me, you have that repeating experience where you think you’ve heard all the hybrids and shapes of music that are possible and then artists like Anna Von Hausswolff come along to reset the clock.

One of her chosen instruments is the pipe organ - an otherworldly sound generator in the right hands - but ultimately it is the uniqueness and power of her voice that hits the heart, imagination and mind, and resonates in the body itself; she sings with every atom of her existence and in performance has that unmistakeable sound and look of a spirit unconstrained by imposed standards or the allure of golden cages. From visceral operatic wail to waif-like Kate Bush fragility, Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can dance) style mystical awe, and even the commanding angst of Siouxsie Sioux. She does a unique octave swoop in her singing at times which is spine-chilling; showcased on the Electra track.

Beyond the most frequent references allotted to her music, personally I hear abstract parallels to Chelsea Wolfe, Sigur Rós, as well as later-period (non-cacophonous) Einstürzende Neubauten, the swelling Folklore dramatics of Nick Cave, and the brooding cinematic swamp of Swans and Skin (Anna and sister Maria appeared on a Swans release). From her Chamber Noir debut, her stylistic progression has remained founded on surgery-level emotionally-stripping power; light and dark, confronting and elevating. Like every seminal artist before her, regardless of genre, she is unafraid to question everything and anything & crash every taboo. Also, like every artist that leaves an imprint, she is willing to exorcise her most vulnerable and raw emotions like a flag-bearer for those behind her too timid to do so.

The title of her most recent release ‘Iconoclast’ is a succinct self-portrait of the signature vibe of Von Hausswolff, and her backstory is intriguing (like everyone else’s); A banshee of beauty, a banshee of pain…check out the clips below,

In Lightarmour We Trust

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The Incredibly Beautiful :
https://youtu.be/Mhwjb2X-lfU?si=zkqNqhJZkinsnZnz
The Very Dark :
https://youtu.be/NAbH1I7IpSE?si=bf6Az19rehvGNk97
The Good Place To Start :
https://youtu.be/JlHZoWgevPc?si=vRjh0MhnAYJnLHqV

SPARTAN DRUM MACHINES - THE CURE Vs CRIMSON BOY

As this write-up is in progress there’s a storm brewing outside, light rain steadily coming down, and a thick cover of dark clouds moving over sunset-lit suburbia; a fitting synchronicity to the vivid teenage memory of The Cure’e seminal Faith album and its deep impact on a whole generation. Walking in the rain while listening to All Cats Are Grey on a Cassette Walkman was just perfect really - the funereal yet beautiful emotional landscape of the track was and is unavoidably resonant. At that time I listened to The Cure & Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark as much as Andy listened to Depeche Mode & Sisters of Mercy; a fair profile of the DNA that formed Crimson Boy and the trio that preceded it - Childhood’s End.

The Iridescent Remix of All Cats is a far more cranked up version than the original cover that was included on the 2017 album Street Gods and Neon Dogs; the album that launched the label. Our forever love-affair with flange-effected basslines, moody and bright analog synths, and spartan drum machine programming has been given full sway in this propulsive 2nd take on The Cure’s haunting masterpiece. As always, the lyrics are a big part of the surreal magic contained within - there are so many interesting interpretations out there, a deep-dive is recommended…

Crimson Boy is Andy Brown & Vince Valentini
Main Sound Devices - Roland JV880 Synth Module / DSI Mopho X4 Synth / Ventris Dual Reverb

Live now on Bandcamp (Streaming platforms in a week or so)
https://crimsonboyofficial.bandcamp.com/track/all-cats-are-grey-iridescent-rmx

LE35RMX - In Lightarmour We Trust

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All Cats Are Grey (Iridescent RMX), by Crimson Boy track by Crimson Boy

SNOG's David Thrussell recently gave a track-by-track commentary on the iconic LIES INC album on Melbourne's 3CR Radio, along with a self-effacing and intriguing back-story to the formation of his infamous & influential Electronic Industrial act... "David Thrussell is a poet trapped in the body of a hillbilly, a hopeless romantic hidden in the twisted frame of a dark electronic musician. Late at night, Thrussell fantasises that he actually lives next door to Hieronymous Bosch in medieval Europe, and hallucinated the whole dreadful modern era while suffering from acute ergot poisoning. We're not entirely convinced that this is not the case. Mr Thrussell is also a philosopher who’s comments are insightful and illuminating."...

The album has been meticulously Remastered for an Anniversary Vinyl Edition available via Australia's Lightarmour Editions & Metropolis USA.

And This One's Introduced By... David Thrussell introduces the tracks from Lies Inc. (the 30th anniversary remastered edition) by Snog David Thrussell is a poet trapped in the body of a hillbilly, a hopeless romantic hidden in the twisted frame of a dark electronic musician. Late at night, Thrussell fantasises that he actually lives next door to Hieronymous Bosch in medieval Europe, and hallucinated the whole dreadful modern era wh...