Anna von Hausswolff's voice has truly begun to equal her instrument. Like the pipe organ she commands at harrowing volumes and in disquiet drones, her howls rattle and shake with a sublime elasticity on "The Mysterious Vanishing Of Electra," the first single from Dead Magic.
Performed on the 20th century pipe organ located in Marmor Kirken ("The Marble Church"), Copenhagen, von Hausswolff's new album was recorded by Randall Dunn, who regularly works with the likes of Sunn O))) and Earth, but also Marissa Nadler. This is certainly the shattering decibel that the Swedish musician has begun to attract, while maintaining her own stretched-out style of songwriting — backing bombast with thoughtful melodies.
The video stars Siri Wigzell and Anna von Hausswolff in a bit of a bizzaro Wizard of Oz, except the switch from the gravedigging black and white to color only seems to send our characters into more darkness. Maria von Hausswolff, Anna's sister, directs and tells NPR that the song is "driven by a desire to dig up something that has been wanting to get dug up for a long time. It's a transition of music, character and images as it continues the ongoing story from my previous music videos for Anna."
Dead Magic comes out March 2 via City Slang.
Photo credit: Lady Lusen.
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