Heaven to a Tortured Mind

Last updated
Heaven to a Tortured Mind
Heaven to a tortured mind album cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 3, 2020
Studio
  • Kaiku Studios
  • Paulie's Kro East Studios
  • Saturn Sound
  • Press Play Studios
Genre
Length36:22
Label Warp
Producer
Yves Tumor chronology
Safe in the Hands of Love
(2018)
Heaven to a Tortured Mind
(2020)
The Asymptotical World
(2021)
Singles from Heaven to a Tortured Mind
  1. "Gospel for a New Century"
    Released: February 18, 2020
  2. "Kerosene!"
    Released: March 9, 2020
  3. "Romanticist / Dream Palette"
    Released: March 19, 2020

Heaven to a Tortured Mind is the fourth studio album by American experimental electronic artist Yves Tumor, released April 3, 2020.

Contents

Background

The album was announced alongside the release of the single "Gospel for a New Century" on February 18, 2020. [3] Two more singles followed, "Kerosene!" which was released on March 9, 2020, [4] and "Romanticist / Dream Palette", which was released March 31, 2020. [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 8.2/10 [6]
Metacritic 88/100 [7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [8]
Clash 8/10 [2]
Exclaim! 9/10 [9]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Paste 9.0/10 [11]
Pitchfork 8.5/10 [1]
PopMatters 9/10 [12]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [14]
The Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]

Heaven to a Tortured Mind received widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 88 based on 18 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [7] AllMusic critic Heather Phares praised the record, describing it as "an album that suggests the easiest way to define Tumor is as an artist who consistently outdoes themself." [8] Eero Holi of Clash labeled the album as a "psychedelic soul record for the 21st century," further stating: "It’s so heart-rending you could keep yourself wrapped inside its comfort for hours and not come out." [2] Kaelen Bell of Exclaim! characterized the music as "the sound of a new kind of warped pop star — an artist capable of weaving the unending unknown of space and the throb of blood and skin, willing to take us and destroy us and create something wholly new from what remains." [9]

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian thought that the record "sounds coherent" and "is punchy and concise;" Petridis further remarked that "its stylistic leaps and short-circuits always feel intended – the product of someone operating to their own internal logic rather than randomly throwing ideas at the wall." [10] Paste critic Austin Jones praised the record, stating: "The record, with all its idiosyncrasies, will be remembered as a definitive piece by one of our era’s most important rock icons—a pop star as transgressive and rule-breaking as the legends of the ’70s and ’80s we take for granted now." [11] Pitchfork 's Kevin Lozano considered Tumor's commercial ambition, writing: "The product of this ambition is a gratifying and intense record, one whose pleasures are viscerally immediate." [1] Reviewing for PopMatters , Paul Carr noted: "Whereas on previous albums, he would obscure himself behind the music, here he steps out of his sonic chrysalis, dons some shiny black wings and soars." [12] Q 's Leonie Cooper likewise noted the album's "relatively straight-up approach", dubbing it "sleazy listening at its best". [13]

Accolades

Accolades for Heaven to a Tortured Mind
PublicationAccoladeRankRef.
Beats Per Minute Top 50 Albums of 202013 [16]
Consequence of Sound Top 50 Albums of 202017 [17]
Crack Magazine Top 50 Albums of 20204 [18]
Exclaim! Top 50 Best Albums of 20208 [19]
The Line of Best Fit Top 50 Albums of 20208 [20]
Paste Paste's 25 Best Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year
12
The 50 Best Albums of 202020 [22]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2020
7
PopMatters The 60 Best Albums of 20205 [24]
The Skinny Top 10 Albums of 20204 [25]
Stereogum Stereogum's 50 Best Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year
9
The 50 Best Albums of 2020
13
Under the Radar Top 100 Albums of 202019 [28]
Uproxx The Best Albums and Songs of 202017 [29]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Yves Tumor, except where noted

Heaven to a Tortured Mind track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Gospel for a New Century" 3:18
2."Medicine Burn" 4:04
3."Identity Trade" 1:59
4."Kerosene!"Yves Tumor, Jeremiah Raisen5:05
5."Hasdallen Lights" 2:07
6."Romanticist" 1:46
7."Dream Palette" 2:55
8."Super Stars"Yves Tumor, Hirakish3:05
9."Folie Imposée" 3:05
10."Strawberry Privilege" 3:52
11."Asteroid Blues" 2:02
12."A Greater Love"Yves Tumor, Clara La San, Hirakish3:04
Total length:36:22
Japanese bonus track [30]
No.TitleLength
13."Folie Simultanée"3:28
Total length:39:50

Sample credits [31]

Personnel

Album personnel adapted from Bandcamp liner notes. [31]

Production

Charts

Sales chart performance for Heaven to a Tortured Mind
Chart (2020)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [32] 170
Scottish Albums (OCC) [33] 38

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 Holi, Eero (April 2, 2020). "Yves Tumor – Heaven To A Tortured Mind". Clash . Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  3. Moreland, Quinn (February 18, 2020). "Yves Tumor Announces New Album, Shares Video for New Song: Watch". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  4. Bloom, Madison (March 9, 2020). "Listen to Yves Tumor's New Song "Kerosene"". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  5. Bloom, Madison (March 31, 2020). "Yves Tumor Shares New Song "Romanticist/Dream Palette": Listen". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  6. "Heaven To A Tortured Mind by Yves Tumor reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Heaven to a Tortured Mind by Yves Tumor Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Heaven to a Tortured Mind – Yves Tumor". AllMusic . Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Bell, Kaelen (April 1, 2020). "Yves Tumor: Heaven to a Tortured Mind". Exclaim! . Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  10. 1 2 Petridis, Alexis (April 2, 2020). "Yves Tumor: Heaven to a Tortured Mind review – strong, wrong songs of a rare genius". The Guardian . Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  11. 1 2 Jones, Austin (April 3, 2020). "Yves Tumor Destroys Rock Music on Heaven To A Tortured Mind". Paste . Retrieved April 6, 2020.
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