Looking at the song titles on Anna von Hausswolff’s second record, Ceremony, you get the impression that the Swedish singer has something of an obsession with death. It opens with ‘Epitaph of Theodor’, followed by ‘Deathbed’, while the second half of the album boasts songs like ‘Epitaph of Daniel’ and ‘Funeral for my Future Children’. While not wanting to judge a book by its cover, these titles don’t suggest that Ceremony was going to be an easy listen, and it would be hard to describe it as such. What it is, however, is one of the grandest, most imposing records that’s emerged recently, and, while a little overbearing, it certainly leaves a lasting impression.
One of the most striking elements of Ceremony is the amount of organ that’s used. The two morbidly titled opening tracks are so saturated with the instrument that you get the impression you’re actually sitting in some kind of gothic church, waiting for Judgment Day to begin and for the rapture to swallow you whole. It’s definitely effective, the album’s title being fulfilled by the sheer scale of the music, suggesting that this would be the soundtrack to the funeral service of a king. It does, eventually become a bit tired as the novelty wears off, leaving the listener with a slight headache. There’s no singing for the first ten or so minutes of the record, and when it comes, von Hausswolff certainly makes her mark. Half way through ‘Deathbed’, the vocals come as something of a surprise, high pitched and powerful, bringing to mind Kate Bush and wonderfully contrasted by the dark drums and organs in the background.
Thankfully, Ceremony also offers some subtler moments, songs that are slightly less terrifying and that allow for von Hausswolff’s vocal skill to emerge. ‘Liturgy of Light’, is more delicate than the record’s ferocious opening but still possesses the power of its louder counterparts, the grandiose elements never fully leaving the song, even when there’s only vocal and delicate guitar. ‘Funeral For My Children’ and ‘Sun Rise’, close the album, striking a balance between the delicate and the grand and acting as an excellent summary of the record as a whole. Ceremony is certainly an incredibly ambitious collection of songs and, while its opening suggests that the listener is going to encounter an hour of organs and enormity, the balance struck between that and delicacy illustrates the skill of von Hausswolff as a songwriter, and makes for an interesting and unique album.
– Rachel Bolland
Ceremony is available now on City Slang.
