Album Review: Agnes Obel – Aventine

When it comes to writing your second album, it can be a bit of a daunting prospect. For Danish songstress Agnes Obel, her debut, Philharmonics, was certified 5 x Platinum in Denmark, and she went on to win five Danish Music Awards with the record. Three years later, Obel is now set to release the perfectly devised, and highly anticipated, Aventine, on September 30.

Opening with the instrumental ‘Chord Left’, her soft piano keys lure us in to her new musical journey. ‘Fuel To Fire’ is a notable favourite amongst Obel’s fanbase, as she played the track during her tour for the debut album. Acting as the foundations of Aventine, Obel’s studio version of ‘Fuel to Fire’ is a beautiful vocal arrangement, with an underlying sinister essence.

‘Dorian’ is a stand-out track on the album. With its melodic, innocent rolling piano keys, Obel’s vocals melt with poetic lyrics and soothing harmonies. The album’s title track, ‘Aventine’, opens with a well-orchestrated mix of pizzicato cello and violin, setting the pace for Obel’s more upbeat vocals to flow throughout. ‘Tokka’, is an instrumental interlude that emulates the sense of ‘touch’ perfectly; after all, this is what the song’s title translates to – as Obel explained in our interview with her earlier this month.

Lead single, ‘The Curse’, was the right choice to precede the album’s release; it encapsulates all aspects on the album: hypnotising harmonies, atmospheric strings and a mix of dark and sweet melodies. ‘Words Are Dead’ was written after Obel wrapped up the Philharmonics tour, and narrates her inability to communicate the feeling she felt whilst in the midst of the success of that record. The album concludes with ‘Smoke & Mirrors’, another moving composition of chilling melodies and basic production.

The record features Anne Muller on cello and Mika Posen on Violin. Both musicians also appear on stage with Obel for live performances, and the chemistry and musicianship between the trio is breathtaking; both live and on record.

Aventine is not only a natural step onwards from Philharmonics, but also a musical growth of Obel. The native Dane, who now resides in Berlin after falling in love with the city, has superseded expectations for this album, and Aventine is by far one of the most sublime and well-crafted records of 2013.

– Ben Lifton