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Does Spring Hide its Joy Image
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: The latest full-length release from composer Kali Malone features Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley and Lucy Railton.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Jan 18, 2023
    80
    Despite complex construction that in the wrong hands can drain music of potency and impact, Malone, Railton and O'Malley sculpt otherworldly soundscapes and craft microtonal realms worth return expeditions, where timbres and harmonics flicker, ripple, scrape and hum — always converging and diverging, Does Spring Hide Its Joy is a beacon of possibility.
  2. Jan 18, 2023
    80
    ‘v2’ is narrower in its oscillations, but all the more incisive, with zither-like textures and guitar screams that morph into sharp pulses and tinnitus-evoking tones. ‘v3’ radiates with a sense of melancholy and loss, and makes for a fitting final manifestation of what is another triumph for Kali Malone.
  3. The Wire
    Mar 21, 2023
    80
    Such durational piece, composed from several instruments, recall Phill Niblock, but Malone’s album is softer, more atmospheric, even melancholic. Does Spring Hide Its Joy is material for deep listening, and its considerable length alone is a radical statement in times of fragmented attention. [Feb 2023, p.52]
  4. Uncut
    Jan 18, 2023
    80
    As the music spreads, and the sound engrosses and uplifts you, the tacit message feels humble and lightly worn: one of consideration, empathy and collective strength. [Feb 2023, p.30]
  5. Jan 25, 2023
    80
    Rejecting escapism and celebrating invention, Does Spring Hide Its Joy is equally compelling and uncompromising. The music and the feeling of being absorbed in it is its own reward.
  6. Jan 27, 2023
    80
    Though Malone's music can often feel still, one thing's for certain about Does Spring Hide Its Joy: it'll move you.
  7. Jan 18, 2023
    60
    There are long stretches, particularly during the muted take on V1 in which the pieces are impressive rather than affecting, where you can marvel at Malone’s skill with timbre without being moved in any way. It leaves a sense that the album feels more like one for the most committed fans of all three artists, but one that, given the chance, has some astonishing moments.

See all 8 Critic Reviews