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Dec 9, 2020The framework for Odin’s Raven Magic grounds the band and shows that, when they wanted to, they were more than capable of tempering their penchant for extravagant strangeness. Which is not to say that Odin’s Raven Magic’s doesn’t contain many of the band’s signature hallmarks—like the rest of the Sigur Rós discography, the album comes drenched in mood, as well as an incomparable sense of elegance.
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UncutDec 15, 2020The twin voices of Jonsi and Andersen make for an eerie contrast at times, with "Stendur aeva" a ravishing, multi-faceted highlight. [Feb 2021, p.35]
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Dec 4, 2020This isn't a Sigur Rós album, and that's just fine. Lack of reverb-soaked bowed guitars notwithstanding, this collaboration vividly reimagines a bastion of medieval Icelandic poetry. The only issue is how long it spent under wraps.
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Dec 16, 2020Although this may not be what all Sigur Rós fans were hoping for, standing on its own, Odin’s Raven Magic is a gorgeous, moving piece of neoclassical musicianship, performance, and composition.
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Dec 7, 2020Managing to get any kind of new music during the pandemic has been rewarding and die-hard Sigur Rós fans that have waited 18 years to finally hear Odin’s Raven Magic, will no doubt find something to chew on. For most casual listeners however, this project, while undeniably beautiful remains messy and unfocused.
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Dec 4, 2020Hauntingly atmospheric and staggering in its scope, it’s well worth spending an hour of your time with. Though perhaps not one to put on at a party.
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Dec 4, 2020It has moments of great assurance, where drums, strings, and vocals are heavily foregrounded, making it perhaps the most solid or opaque soundscape of the band’s entire career. ... And whilst it is doubtless an exciting prospect to finally hear the work in full and professionally produced, the elusive nature of this work has now dissipated.
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Dec 4, 2020Odin’s Raven Magic captures the group reconciling their actual genius with the mountains of praise heaped upon them.
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Dec 7, 2020Sigur Rós’s music has always felt panoramic, and Odin’s Raven Magic is no different; its sweeping melodies harken back to landmark albums like Ágætis byrjun, but this time, the music foregrounds orchestra and choir. When the sprawling sound becomes overwhelming, it’s the hidden details that prove most tantalizing.
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Dec 7, 2020There are occasional missteps – the closing two minutes of Dvergmál veer worryingly close to windswept arena rock, and elsewhere there’s a ponderousness in places – but this is a good document of a bold artistic move.
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Dec 4, 2020‘Odin’s Raven Magic’s is built on incredibly specific foundations – the particulars of Norse Mythology and medieval Scandinavian poetry is certainly niche – so key aspects feel lost in translation without a hefty visual component or matching blurb. It feels less like conventional album, and more like a live piece immortalised on record.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 4 out of 5
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Mixed: 0 out of 5
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Negative: 1 out of 5
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Jan 22, 2021
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Dec 7, 2020