Abysskiss
by Adrianne Lenker
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. Drowned In Sound
    Oct 16, 2018
    90
    Over these ten songs Lenker continues to carve out the little slices of magic that at this stage we now fully expect from her.
  2. Uncut
    Oct 1, 2018
    90
    It's an invitation to peer into the hidden spaces of an extraordinary modern songwriter, where calm and quiet moments prompt superlative work. [Nov 2018, p.32]
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  3. Paste Magazine
    Oct 5, 2018
    85
    Providing newfound comfort and warm familiarity, abysskiss is a record that will quickly find its way into your heart and slowly caress your soul.
  5. No Ripcord
    Nov 14, 2018
    80
    What's most impressive is how Lenker stands apart from both modern singer-songwriter tropes and the cult psych-folk canon, creating a haunting mood that touches upon both sides with her own unique touch.
  6. Pitchfork
    Oct 12, 2018
    80
    The album is also a quiet showcase for her melodic imagination.
  7. The 405
    Oct 11, 2018
    80
    She’s channelled this tenuous bond into 10 skeletal songs, kissed them with all the warmth in her heart, and released them into the world to blossom and light up the lives of all those who'll listen.
  8. Under The Radar
    Oct 9, 2018
    80
    Even when some songs leave you thinking there's a better, fuller version out there, abysskiss coalesces around its imperfections.
  9. DIY Magazine
    Oct 5, 2018
    80
    Subtle swells of synth and strings back up the album’s most emotionally intense moments, but her vocals can do the job on their own, especially on beautiful highlight ‘cradle’.
  10. AllMusic
    Oct 4, 2018
    80
    Across the record, Lenker covers big emotions and small moments, noticing horse tails, eyelashes, and silences. The immediacy of the performances has the effect of eavesdropping on a late-night living room lament.
  11. The Line of Best Fit
    Oct 1, 2018
    80
    In ten aptly small songs Adrianne evokes our ability to vanish at the feet of nature, creating a black hole all of her own that’s both comforting and suffocating.
  12. The Skinny
    Oct 1, 2018
    80
    Recorded in a week with her friend Luke Temple, abysskiss captures a fleeting moment in time, though some minor creative decisions taken feel as if they could have larger implications in the future, as the understated synth in womb leaves us curious as to how her unmistakeable vocal would sound accompanied only by cold electronics. Said vocal is as complex as ever: delicate and strong, soothing yet uneasy, each listen revealing new emotional depth.
  13. American Songwriter
    Oct 4, 2018
    70
    Lenker has a penchant for songs that mine deep emotional depths, but even by her standards, the ten songs that comprise abysskiss are some of the most starkly vulnerable songs of her career.
  14. Exclaim
    Oct 4, 2018
    70
    abysskiss continues to keep Lenker's songwriting hot streak going--more than enough to tide us over until the next Big Thief record.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. eugene_skala
    Apr 20, 2020
    10
    A justified and solid 10. Simply put, Adrianne Lenker is the most significant singer-songwriter of her generation.
  2. Ricko
    Nov 11, 2019
    9
    "abysskiss" will delight fans of Big Thief and it is an album that confirms Lenker as the songwriting force behind the band. While it no doubt"abysskiss" will delight fans of Big Thief and it is an album that confirms Lenker as the songwriting force behind the band. While it no doubt wasn't meant to be considered as such, "abysskiss" almost serves like a prequel to "U.F.O.F" and "Two Hands". It is sparse and raw without feeling bare. Lenker and a guitar for the most part with understated background flourishes. It is one of the most captivating records I've heard over the last few years. This is an artist hitting a vein of form so rich you have to think it can't last. "terminal paradise" must be one of the songs of the decade.… Full Review »
  3. Lajaleaa
    Dec 6, 2018
    7
    ( 77/100 )

    Adrianne Lenker ha escrito canciones desde que tiene 10 años, ese gusto pronto se convirtió en habilidad y esa habilidad la    ( 77/100 )

    Adrianne Lenker ha escrito canciones desde que tiene 10 años, ese gusto pronto se convirtió en habilidad y esa habilidad la llevó, a los 20 años, a presentar su primer album como solista llamado "Hours Were The Birds" en el 2014. Ese álbum le dio un reconocimiento importante y con ese impulso formó una banda llamada Big Thief. La carrera de la banda y de Lenkere es muy paciente, pero siempre muy consciente. El año pasado la banda presentó "Capacity" y en el tour, Lenker, cuya habilidad consiste en capturar las esencias de los momentos más cotidianos y pasajeros para embellecerlos líricamente, aprovechó su atención para escribir "abysskiss". Producido por Luke Temple, este álbum es una experiencia de Folk clásico que presenta tanto bellos detalles como largos ratos de poco contenido.
    El Folk se distingue por darle protagonismo a los instrumentos de cuerda, existe una infinita variabilidad que puede provocar propuestas interesantes, sin embargo la falta de detalle y permiso de incorporar más instrumentos han hecho del género una expresión ciertamente bella, pero con poco dinamismo y creatividad. Y "abysskiss", al ser parte de ese Folk, nos presenta tracks que solo se quedan en lo bonito y amable de escuchar, sin la intención de perdurar pero con el propósito de arrullar. Y ahí es donde se divisa la temática de Lenker en este álbum. "abysskiss" es una carta a un bebé que todavía no ha visto la luz del día. Lenker presenta una serie de pensamientos que le dedica a la criatura que está creciendo dentro de un útero, pues su música habla de la unión entre esa criatura y ella, el contagio de emociones, la distancia, las sensaciones, las transformaciones y, en sí, su experiencia con esa idea. "abysskiss" será un gran arrullo para todas las personas a las que la vida nueva las conmueva. Ya sea para sus hijos, para sus padres o para ustedes mismos, "abysskiss" es suficientemente sensible como para acompañar a la gente en sus momentos de contemplación y admiración.    … Full Review »
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