Hopelessness | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 6 May 2016 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:39 | |||
Label | Secretly Canadian (US) Rough Trade (UK) Hostess (Japan) | |||
Producer | ||||
Anohni chronology | ||||
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Singles from Hopelessness | ||||
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Hopelessness is the debut solo album by British-American artist Anohni, frontwoman of Anohni and the Johnsons, released on 6 May 2016 on Secretly Canadian, Rough Trade, and Hostess. [2] Featuring co-production by Hudson Mohawke and Oneohtrix Point Never, [2] the album departs from the chamber pop style of her previous work, instead exploring an electronic sound and engaging directly with political and environmental themes in the form of protest songs. [3] [4]
Hopelessness was released to critical acclaim. It peaked at number 26 on the UK album charts and number 121 in the US. Hopelessness was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2016, and Anohni was nominated for Best British Female at the BRIT Awards in 2017.
Following her plaintive, chamber pop-styled work with the group Antony and the Johnsons in the early 2000s, Anohni began developing a radically different "Trojan horse" project that would instead feature a "glossy, plastic sound" while dealing more directly with political and environmental issues. [5] Discussing her decision to move away from her earlier style, she reasoned: "at this point, I really feel like it's all hands on deck. An artist that's fiddle-faddling in opaque, gossamer gestures — I mean it's fine to do that, totally fine, but there's no time left." [5] Conceptualized and recorded over three years, Anohni first began to collaborate with electronic musician Daniel Lopatin, [5] whose work as Oneohtrix Point Never she had previously covered. [6]
Anohni and Lopatin initially speculated on creating "a kind of Blade Runner –Kitarō–Japanimation soundtrack" before producer Ross Birchard, better known for his work in hip hop (cf. Kanye West) as Hudson Mohawke, became involved with the project in 2014. [5] Birchard and Anohni had also collaborated on Birchard's 2015 album Lantern, during which time he sent Anohni the demo of what would become "Drone Bomb Me." Speaking to the New York Times , Anohni explained that "the kind of relentless, exuberant, almost ecstatic positiveness of Hudson's music was the perfect foil for more challenging lyrics than people would be used to hearing from me." [5] Both producers worked on the tracks, with Anohni also taking part in the production process; Mohawke recalled: "she's not just writing these songs. She loves getting in there and twisting stuff up in Pro Tools and chopping stuff up and editing and rearranging. She's permanently finding all of these little magic things that wouldn't have occurred to us." [5] Lopatin stated that "her range is crazy, the ideas are nuts, the movement is wild — you basically don't have to do that much. " [5]
Hopelessness is an electropop, dance, experimental, and synth-pop album. [3] [7] [8] Lyrically, Anohni developed a stark political approach which addressed issues such as surveillance, drone warfare, capital punishment and environmental crisis. [5] She explained to Pitchfork that she drew influence from 80's dance music during the AIDS epidemic, stating that "rage is a really fun place to dance from—expressions of anger sublimated into something beautiful are invigorating, especially if you feel like you’re telling the truth." [9] Critic Jon Pareles noted that "she comes at her topics from unexpected angles — sometimes identifying with forces of destruction, sometimes mourning their ravages." She attempted to maintain a focus on the personal:
I tried to keep a focus on myself in terms of addressing my complicity in so many of these issues — as a taxpayer, as a consumer, as a passive participant. I got to thinking perhaps as an artist, even as an artist with the best of intentions, that I was kind of a microcosm of the brokenness of the whole system. That within my body I contained the whole conflict. [5]
Commenting on "4 Degrees" in a fan interview earlier in the year, Hegarty had stated that she had "grown tired of grieving for humanity", adding that she felt she "was not being entirely honest by pretending that I am not a part of the problem. '4 Degrees' is kind of a brutal attempt to hold myself accountable, not just valorize my intentions but also reflect on the true impact of my behaviors." [10] The song references projected temperature rise by 2100 and its effect on the extinction of wildlife. [11] [12] The song "Obama" depicts disillusionment with the tenure of US President Barack Obama. [9]
On 23 February 2015, Anohni announced Hopelessness via the Antony and the Johnsons' website and Facebook account. In the announcement, Anohni described the album as "an electronic record with some sharp teeth". [13] [14] In a fan interview, Anohni described the upcoming album as "as different as could be from my previous work", adding she was "not sure that many of [those] who prefer the early chamber music style will enjoy it". Characterising it as a "dance / experimental electronic record with quite a dark thematic undertow", she revealed spring 2016 as the release date. [10] On 30 November 2015, Anohni released "4 Degrees", the first song off of Hopelessness, along with an accompanying message: "In solidarity with the climate conference in Paris, giving myself a good hard look, not my aspirations but my behaviors, revealing my insidious complicity. It's a whole new world. Let’s be brave and tell the truth as much as we can." [15] [16]
On 9 March 2016, Anohni announced the release of the album's second single "Drone Bomb Me" via Facebook. [17] The song, which premiered on Annie Mac's show on BBC Radio 1 later that day, was accompanied by a music video which she described as "insanely beautiful". [18] As revealed shortly after the announcement on Anohni's Instagram account, the video was directed by Nabil Elderkin and stars English supermodel Naomi Campbell. [19] On the same day, Anohni also revealed that Hopelessness will be released on 6 May 2016, along with the album's track listing. [20] [21]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.1/10 [22] |
Metacritic | 83/100 [23] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [24] |
The A.V. Club | B+ [25] |
The Guardian | [4] |
The Independent | [26] |
NME | 4/5 [27] |
The Observer | [28] |
Pitchfork | 9.0/10 [29] |
Q | [30] |
Rolling Stone | [31] |
Spin | 9/10 [32] |
Hopelessness was critically acclaimed, as evidenced by its average score of 83, meaning "universal acclaim", based on 30 reviews on the review aggregator Metacritic. [23] Tim Jonze of The Guardian called Hopelessness "as profound a protest record as anyone has made in decades, brimming with anger, and yet, somehow, oddly accessible," concluding that, "For all its bleakness, Hopelessness leaves you feeling anything but." [4] Writing for Exclaim! , Andrea Warner characterized Hopelessness as "a shimmering, shadowy electronic pop protest record that thunders and sparks, avenges and retreats, attacks and empowers," noting Anohni's "ownership and authority over her artistic voice that we've not yet seen before." [3] T. Cole Rachel of Spin called the album "a potent political statement," and described the music as "gorgeous, matching the intensity of the subject matter without overwhelming it and giving the appropriate space to ANOHNI’s voice, which remains a glorious instrument." [32] Jenn Pelly of Pitchfork praised the album, stating, "Anohni, HudMo, and OPN meet on an astral plane and construct a sleek salon there, where we can reflect on the current moment and perhaps be spurred to action," calling the album "some of the most accessible and pristinely infectious music that any of these people have made. [29] Writing for NPR, Ann Powers said of the album, "The subject matter on Hopelessness can be grisly — state-sponsored execution, torture, animals expiring in trees — but the music, and Anohni's singing especially, brings the emotional rush of revelation." [33]
Publication | Accolade | Year | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Thump | The 33 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 1 | |
Consequence of Sound | Top 50 Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 5 | |
The Guardian | Albums of the Year | 2016 | 6 | |
Rough Trade | Albums of the Year | 2016 | 6 | |
New York Times | The Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 8 | |
Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 8 | |
The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s | 2019 | 48 | ||
NME | NME's Albums of the Year 2016 | 2016 | 8 | |
The Skinny | Top 50 Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 8 | |
Billboard | 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 16 | |
Stereogum | The 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 19 | |
NPR | The Best 50 Albums Of 2016 | 2016 | 32 | |
Rolling Stone | 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 35 | |
Paste | The 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 38 | |
Mojo | The 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 42 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Drone Bomb Me" | 4:10 | ||
2. | "4 Degrees" |
|
| 3:51 |
3. | "Watch Me" |
|
| 3:26 |
4. | "Execution" |
|
| 3:38 |
5. | "I Don't Love You Anymore" |
|
| 5:00 |
6. | "Obama" |
|
| 4:11 |
7. | "Violent Men" |
|
| 2:10 |
8. | "Why Did You Separate Me from the Earth?" |
|
| 3:36 |
9. | "Crisis" |
|
| 4:42 |
10. | "Hopelessness" |
| Oneohtrix Point Never | 3:54 |
11. | "Marrow" |
|
| 3:01 |
Total length: | 41:39 |
Chart (2016) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [50] | 35 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [51] | 28 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [52] | 13 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [53] | 53 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [54] | 21 |
French Albums (SNEP) [55] | 48 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [56] | 29 |
Irish Albums (IRMA) [57] | 25 |
Italian Albums (FIMI) [58] | 39 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [59] | 53 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [60] | 17 |
UK Albums (OCC) [61] | 26 |
US Billboard 200 [62] | 121 |
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [63] | 8 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [64] | 6 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [65] | 11 |
Chart (2016) | Position |
---|---|
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [66] | 151 |
Anohni and the Johnsons is a music ensemble originally based in New York City that presents the work of English singer-songwriter Anohni and her collaborators. The band released its self-titled debut album in 2000. Their second album, 2005's I Am a Bird Now, was certified Gold in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Switzerland; it also was awarded that year's UK Mercury Prize.
I Am a Bird Now is the second album by American band Antony and the Johnsons, released on February 1, 2005, by Secretly Canadian. After it won the 2005 Mercury Prize, the album shot up the UK albums chart from #135 to #16 in one week, the biggest jump in the history of the prize. As of September 2011, UK sales stood at 220,000 copies.
Anohni Hegarty, styled as ANOHNI, is a British-born American singer, songwriter, and visual artist. She has presented solo work and as the lead singer of the band Anohni and the Johnsons, formerly known as Antony and the Johnsons.
The Crying Light is Antony and the Johnsons' third studio album and the follow-up to the band's widely acclaimed second LP, I Am a Bird Now. The album was released on January 19, 2009, and preceded by lead single, "Another World", released through Secretly Canadian on October 7, 2008. The Crying Light features orchestral arrangements by Anohni and Nico Muhly.
Ross Matthew Birchard, better known by the stage name Hudson Mohawke, is a Scottish producer, composer, and DJ from Glasgow. He is known for his work in 21st century hip-hop and electronic music. A founding member of the UK based record label LuckyMe, his fractured take on hip-hop made him a leading figure in the late-2000s wonky scene. He released his debut album Butter in 2009 on Warp Records. He has followed with the solo albums Lantern (2015) and Cry Sugar (2022), both on Warp.
Swanlights is the fourth studio album by Antony and the Johnsons, released on October 12, 2010 worldwide through Secretly Canadian, and October 11, 2010 in the United Kingdom through Rough Trade. To accompany the album release, the band has produced a 144-page art book also titled Swanlights, which includes paintings, collages, photography and writing by Anohni. The album was preceded by lead single/EP Thank You for Your Love, released on August 30, 2010 in the UK and 1 September in the US.
Daniel Lopatin, best known as Oneohtrix Point Never or OPN, is an American experimental electronic music producer, composer, singer, and songwriter. His music has utilized tropes from various musical genres and eras, sample-based composition, and complex MIDI production.
Returnal is the fourth studio album by American electronic musician Daniel Lopatin under the alias Oneohtrix Point Never, released on June 22, 2010, by Mego. It develops the synthesizer-based compositions of Lopatin's previous work, while also incorporating elements of noise music and his own processed vocals. The album received positive reviews from critics, and was named among the best albums of 2010 by several publications, including Fact, The Wire, and Tiny Mix Tapes.
Replica is the fifth studio album by American electronic musician Daniel Lopatin under the stage name Oneohtrix Point Never, released on November 8, 2011, via Mexican Summer and Software. It features co-production by Joel Ford and Al Carlson, and was Lopatin's first work to be recorded in a studio. Stylistically, the album marks a shift away from Lopatin's previous synth-based works under the alias, instead showcasing a sample-based approach utilizing audio from 1980s and 1990s television advertisements.
Cut the World is a live album by Antony and the Johnsons, recorded in Copenhagen and released in August 2012.
R Plus Seven is the sixth studio album by American electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never, released on September 30, 2013, as his debut album on Warp Records. The album's musical palette draws heavily on the synthetic sounds of MIDI instruments, 1980s synth presets, and VSTs.
That We Can Play is the debut EP of the American electronic-music project Games, consisting of producers Daniel Lopatin and Joel Ford. Lopatin and Ford produced That We Can Play in an apartment studio, using vintage synthesizers and sequencers to recapture the sound and style of 1980s power pop.
Garden of Delete is the seventh studio album by American electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never, released on November 13, 2015 on Warp Records. The album—which critics regarded as being radically stylistically different from his previous releases—was preceded by an enigmatic Internet-based promotional campaign, and draws on musical influences such as grunge music, nu metal and popular electronic dance music, as well as themes of adolescence, mutation and abjection. It received generally positive critical reception and was included on year-end lists by several publications, including PopMatters, Fact and The Quietus.
"Drone Bomb Me" is a song by Anohni, the lead singer of Anohni and the Johnsons. It is the first track and second single from her debut solo studio album, Hopelessness, and was released digitally on 9 March 2016 on Rough Trade Records.
Daniel Lopatin is a Brooklyn-based experimental musician who records primarily under the pseudonym Oneohtrix Point Never. Early in his career as both a solo artist and as a member of several groups, he released a number of LPs and extended plays on a variety of independent labels. In 2010, he signed to Editions Mego and released Returnal. In 2011, he founded the record label Software. In 2013, Lopatin signed to British electronic label Warp Records and released his label debut R Plus Seven.
Paradise is an extended play (EP) by British-American musician Anohni, released on 17 March 2017 by Secretly Canadian. The lead single, also titled "Paradise", was released on 26 January 2017. As with Anohni's previous album, Hopelessness, Paradise features collaborations with Hudson Mohawke and Oneohtrix Point Never.
Age Of is the eighth studio album by American electronic producer Oneohtrix Point Never, released on June 1, 2018, on Warp Records. Recorded over two years, it is the first Oneohtrix Point Never album to prominently feature Daniel Lopatin's own vocals. The album was accompanied by the MYRIAD tour, which premiered as a "conceptual concertscape" in 2018 at the Park Avenue Armory and ended its run in 2019.
"The Station" is a song by American electronic producer and singer-songwriter Oneohtrix Point Never from his eighth studio album, Age Of.
Magic Oneohtrix Point Never is the ninth studio album by American electronic producer Daniel Lopatin, under his alias Oneohtrix Point Never, released on October 30, 2020, via Warp. The album draws on a psychedelic radio aesthetic strongly inspired by Magic 106.7, the mondegreen namesake of Lopatin's project, and was recorded during COVID-19 lockdowns, between March and July 2020.
My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross is the fifth studio album by Anohni and the Johnsons, formerly known as Antony and the Johnsons. It was released on July 7, 2023, by Secretly Canadian. The album was co-produced by Jimmy Hogarth, and features contributions from Leo Abrahams, Chris Vatalaro, Samuel Dixon, and Rob Moose.
...ANOHNI embraces electronic dance music as a compelling vehicle for truth-telling without losing its serrated edge.