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UncutMar 16, 2023The clarity and effervescence of much of V can seem revelatory. [Apr 2023, p.34]
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Mar 21, 2023V is a fun, water-glistening record that waves hi to the palm trees and lies down to take a sun-nap with the sleepy sand dunes. Neilson’s reclamation of his identity in the context of space, sound and story is executed beautifully and is heard with authenticity and keenness.
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Mar 17, 2023Despite the otherworldly talent displayed on the album, there is an element of humanity hidden in there. By simply relaying their life story through whooshing production and swooning melodies, UMO created their most personal yet most relatable album to date.
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Mar 16, 2023As a double album, ‘V’ is a hefty commitment and is therefore unlikely to win many new fans for Unknown Mortal Orchestra, but it’s a coherent and mature piece of work which will be worth the wait for this well-established act.
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Mar 16, 2023By the end this has the feel of a magnum opus, unrelentingly ambitious with just the right amount of self-indulgence.
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Mar 21, 2023If V betrays decadence, it doesn’t manifest itself as sprawl or poor editing – much less a notional narrative. Its languidness is actually its charm, a direct contrast to almost anything in UMO’s fidgety catalog save “Jello And Juggernauts” from the 2011 debut.
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Under The RadarApr 25, 2023Even if V isn't as shadowy or nuanced as its reference point, it's a reminder that sometimes, it's nicest to just sit in the sun for a bit. [Apr - Jul 2023, p.82]
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Mar 17, 2023Neilson and co. still know how to get wild — their usually-yearly “SB” EPs are filled with experiments and unchecked ambition — but for all the years of waiting, V is simply a good new album from the group. At times very good, but not with the consistency they had become increasingly known for.
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Mar 16, 2023It's just as easy of an album to drift off in thought to as it is to obsess over its patchwork of details and strange coloration, reaching a deeper, more thoughtful expression of the kind of bizarre beauty the band excels at.
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Mar 16, 2023While ‘V’ has the tendency to revisit some familiar ground, it achieves what the best double albums do - plants solid gems along the road, envelops the listener with clever sequencing tricks and builds a whole world to roam.
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Mar 17, 2023Absent the verve and pop of UMO’s previous work, V can feel remote and insular without the charm of being coy. There’s just enough shown here to leave you craving a more direct experience of the world Nielson is spinning.
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MojoMar 16, 2023There are featureless patches, bits of white-box real-estate that need a little more character, but there's always something intriguing around V's corners. [Apr 2023, p.89]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 10 out of 12
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Mixed: 2 out of 12
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Negative: 0 out of 12
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Mar 17, 2023This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view.
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Aug 4, 2023One of the best albums I’ve heard in a twelve years. Let me post this without typing more words pleaze.
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May 2, 2023