Simian Angel

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Simian Angel
Simian Angel.jpg
Studio album by
Oren Ambarchi
Released5 July 2019 (2019-07-05) [1]
Recorded2016–2018 [2]
Studio
  • Figure 8 (Brooklyn)
  • Out of My Mind (New Jersey)
  • Choose (Berlin)
  • Duffy's Taxi iPhone (Winnipeg) [2]
Genre Experimental [3]
Length36:17
Label Editions Mego [1]
Oren Ambarchi chronology
Hubris
(2016)		Simian Angel
(2019)		 Shebang
(2022)

Simian Angel is a solo studio album by Australian musician Oren Ambarchi. It was released on 5 July 2019, through Editions Mego. It received universal acclaim from critics. [4]

Contents

Background

Simian Angel is Oren Ambarchi's fourth solo studio album on Editions Mego, following Sagittarian Domain (2012), Quixotism (2014), and Hubris (2016). [5] It consists of two side-long songs: "Palm Sugar Candy" and "Simian Angel". [6] It features Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista. [7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 82/100 [4]
Review scores
SourceRating
Exclaim! 8/10 [8]
Pitchfork 7.5/10 [9]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Simian Angel received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 from 5 critic scores. [4]

Philip Sherburne of Pitchfork stated, "Both tracks are powered by melodic instincts that have rarely played such a dominant role in Ambarchi's music." [9] He added, "on Simian Angel, we get a glimpse of something new: something sensitive, probing, and even whimsical." [9] Eric Hill of Exclaim! stated, "In its combination of electronics and Brazilian rhythms, it carries echoes of the best Bill Laswell experiments in world music, but with the structural audacity and occasional tension of vintage Gastr Del Sol." [8] He added, "Its explorations are well considered and the rewards for following along are many." [8] Audrey Lockie of SLUG commented that "The album makes a case for musical malleability, as its strengths lie not in Ambarchi's individual ideas as much as in his ability to respond and adapt to each new challenge that faces him." [10]

Accolades

Year-end lists for Simian Angel
PublicationListRankRef.
Pitchfork The Best Experimental Albums of 2019
—
XLR8R XLR8R's Best of 2019: Releases
—

Track listing

Simian Angel track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Palm Sugar Candy"16:03
2."Simian Angel"20:13
Total length:36:17

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. [2] [13]

References

  1. 1 2 Mrozek, Patryk (9 May 2019). "Oren Ambarchi announces Simian Angel with percussionist Cyro Baptista, out in July on Editions Mego". Tiny Mix Tapes . Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Oren Ambarchi (2019). Simian Angel (CD booklet). Editions Mego.
  3. ↑ "Exclaim!'s 10 Best Experimental Music Figures of 2019". Exclaim! . 13 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Simian Angel by Oren Ambarchi". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  5. ↑ Otis, Erik (3 June 2019). "Oren Ambarchi Renews Focus on Electric Guitar on New Editions Mego Album". XLR8R . Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  6. ↑ Burnett, Joseph (9 August 2019). "Oren Ambarchi — Simian Angel". The Quietus . Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  7. ↑ Couture, François. "Oren Ambarchi". AllMusic . Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 Hill, Eric (8 July 2019). "Oren Ambarchi". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 Sherburne, Philip (8 July 2019). "Oren Ambarchi: Simian Angel". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  10. ↑ Lockie, Audrey (5 July 2019). "Review: Oren Ambarchi – Simian Angel". SLUG . Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  11. ↑ "The Best Experimental Albums of 2019". Pitchfork . 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  12. ↑ "XLR8R's Best of 2019: Releases". XLR8R . 19 December 2019. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  13. ↑ "Simian Angel | Oren Ambarchi". Bandcamp . Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
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