<p><span><span><span>- Agnes Obel is an interesting artist to describe. She’s known for her unique pairing of classical music and quirky singer-songwriter tendencies. Despite her music basking in a strange, otherworldly atmosphere, above all, it's strikingly accessible. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>Her new album </span><em>Myopia</em><span>, out now via classical mainstay <strong>Deutsche Grammophon</strong> is a gorgeous continuation of her discography. </span><em>Myopia </em><span>as a whole, sounds remarkably in keeping with her 2013 album </span><em>Aventine</em><span>. It features similarly howling vocal modifications that spread dark hues across beautiful tracks in a way that 2016’s stunning </span><em>Citizen of Glass</em><span> didn’t attempt. Here, Obel’s voice and mix of instrumentation work together in perhaps their most synergistic form yet: Obel’s instrumental songs are stronger, and performed with more confidence. <em>Parliament Of Owls</em> for example, boasts an enthralling string section that reminds me of the emotional weight of <strong>Rostam Batmanglij</strong>’s score to </span><em>The OA.</em></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>However, </span><em>Myopia</em><span> marks a turning point for Obel. It features a much grander, more ear catching sense of orchestration; the album’s lead single <em>Island of Doom</em> foreshadowed this. It's a beautiful track, beginning with stark, gloomy keys before Obel builds up everything around her. As it expands, she ditches any notion of predictability. Her experimentation may be relatively subtle in comparison to others, but it’s these nuances that sets her apart from her peers. Like <strong>Julia Holter</strong>, Agnes Obel is at her most riveting when she allows her music to lose direction and unsettle with a sense of vertigo. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><em>Myopia </em><span>is full of songs that pulse with creativity. <em>Broken Sleep</em> begins with shimmering, almost baroque pop keys that jangle with a very medieval sensibility. The track features layered vocals, where Obel plays off her voice like a duet with herself. Baroque pop is more prominent in </span><em>Myopia</em><span> than any other Agnes Obel album yet. <em>Promise Keeper</em> features backing vocals that sound almost animalistic as they warble indecipherably. Then there’s <em>Can’t Be</em>, in the album’s back half that is as close to a pop song as the record gets. It features the most vocal modification on the entire album, with buzzing drums and fairytale-esque harmonies. It’s a wonder that this track was not chosen as a single, with such a distinct sound.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>There’s something to be said, in the end, for how cohesive </span><em>Myopia</em><span> sounds. There's a relative uniformity despite its avant-garde flair. Coming together, slowly, subtly, into this unified whole and through unique vocal modification, a succinct use of strings and a darkly glamorous gloom, Agnes Obel is working at her peak.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Sean Tayler.</span></span></p>
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