1 	Falling, Catching 	
2 	Riverside 	
3 	Brother Sparrow 	
4 	Just So 	
5 	Beast 	
6 	Louretta 	
7 	Avenue 	
8 	Philharmonics 	
9 	Close Watch 	
10 	Wallflower 	
11 	Over The Hill 	
12 	On Powdered Ground

Agnes Obel - Performer, Producer, Mixed By, Recorded By
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Alex Brüel Flagstad - Vocals (Background)
Isabelle Klemt - Cello 
Robert Kondorosi - Guitar
Frederique Labbow - Cello
Daniel Matz - Beats
Anne Müller - Cello 

Agnes Obel's striking success in her home country of Denmark with her debut is all the more remarkable given how understated Philharmonics is as a listen, a seemingly straightforward piano/vocal album that isn't. Combining a strong ear for immediate appeal -- Obel's deep singing voice is lovely and her ear for a calm hook is crucial -- with a feeling of just-unsettled-enough unease is key. Part of it lies in Obel's ear for vocal arrangements; hearing her own overdubbed harmonies showcases her talents further, both as performer and producer. But there's something that's not trying to be straightforward here. There's an elegant, slipping darkness that creeps in around the corners, like something is being hidden in plain sight. The short instrumental "Falling, Catching" starts off the album on a sweet note -- perhaps sickly sweet, there's something so strangely focused in its intensity that it almost unsettles. Her first vocal provides a bit of necessary contrast on "Riverside" immediately thereafter, but at the same time further showcases how gently unusual Philharmonics ends up being -- it may not be Patty Waters, say, but it's not Vanessa Carlton or KT Tunstall either. The underpinning bass part on the cover of John Cale's "I Keep a Close Watch" set against the high intensity of the lead piano gives a good personal stamp to a standard, but it's her subtle variety throughout the album that impresses even more. There's "Avenue"'s music-box-meets-near-film-noir-jazz on the one hand, while "Louretta," another short instrumental, has a controlled theatricality that seems like it should soundtrack a Neil Gaiman ballet. "On Powdered Ground" has a gentler sweetness that feels like a slight respite toward the end, but Philharmonics in general aims for the darkly beautiful and succeeds on an unexpected level. ---Net Raggett, AllMusic Review

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01 – Chord Left
02 – Fuel to Fire
03 – Dorian
04 – Aventine
05 – Run Cried The Crawling
06 – Tokka
07 – The Curse
08 – Pass Them By
09 – Words Are Dead
10 – Fivefold
11 – Smoke & Mirrors

Danish singer/songwriter Agnes Obel returns with Aventine, a wonderful collection of simplistic beauty. Aventine is her first record since 2010’s debut Philharmonics, for which she won Best Album, Best Pop Release, Best Debut Artist, Best Female Artist and Best Songwriter of the Year at the 2011 Danish Music Awards. Listening through the new record, it’s no surprise that the talented 32 year old received so much success with her previous effort.

Not only is she a talented singer and pianist, Agnes also wrote, arranged, and produced the new album, as he did with her debut Philharmonics. Aventine is the kind of album with such an understated beauty that it demands undivided attention to be appreciated fully. To semi-listen to it as background music while your attention is elsewhere will simply not do it justice.

The Berlin based artist recently released the first single from the album, The Curse, showing off her magical vocals against a casual, gentle piano infused background. Of the song, Agnes says: “The Curse is one of the songs where I think I got closest to the initial idea I had when I started making the album,” says Agnes. “It’s very different from what I’ve done before but, at the same time, very much related to it.”

Beginning with the instrumental Chord Left, it’s clear what kind of album this will be. The song sets the tone for a piano-heavy, beautiful and delicate record, which is exactly what we are given. Another instrumental, Fivefold, appears as the second last song, a shorter and somewhat more upbeat piano tune. When Agnes first starts to sing on Fuel to Fire, we are hit with her stunning vocals as she delivers a performance full of emotion and undeniable talent. The song is slow paced, much like the entire album, providing a peaceful and engaging experience.

The piano rhythm on Dorian is captivating, in fact so much so that it almost outshines Agnes’ gorgeous vocals at times. If her vocals were outshined, you only need to listen to Run Cried the Crawling (or any other song really – this is one talented woman!) to hear her vocal chords at their striking best. The title song Aventine is as mesmerising and calming as the album it shares its name with as Obel puts together a charming vocal and instrumental arrangement. The closing track Smoke & Mirrors draws resemblance to English trio Daughter, through the similarities in vocal style and mild piano background. A steady rhythm ending with an engaging piano solo results in this being a wonderful closing track to round out the album. Aventine is an enchanting collection of songs and the perfect example of less is more. The simple piano and vocal style creates an elegant, cleanly polished record whose only downfall is that it seems to be over too quickly. It must be true what they say that time flies when you’re having fun! --- renownedforsound.com

„Aventine" to następca docenionego przez krytyków albumu „Philharmonics" z 2010 roku, który sprzedał się w Europie w nakładzie 450,000 egzemplarzy. Płyta pokryła się platyną we Francji i Belgii, złotem w Holandii, a także uzyskała status pięciokrotnej Platynowej Płyty w Danii, z której pochodzi Agnes Obel. W 2011 roku artystka otrzymała także pięć nagród Duńskiego przemysłu muzycznego (Danish Music Awards).

Album „Aventine" został nagrany w Chalk Wood Studios w Berlinie, gdzie od 2006 roku mieszka Agnes. Nagrania trwały od stycznia do maja 2013. Tak jak „Philharmonics", nowa płyta została skomponowana, zaaranżowana i wyprodukowana przez Agnes, która gra na pianinie i śpiewa. Anne Müller, która występowała także z Nilsem Frahmem, dodała wiolonczelę i skrzypce w utworach „The Curse", „Pass Them By" i „Fivefold".

„The Curse" to przepiękny singiel Agnes Obel promujący jej najnowszy album. Artystka opowiada: „The Curse” to jeden z tych utworów, które są najbliższe pierwotnej idei, która towarzyszyła mi gdy zaczynałam pracować nad nowym albumem. Jest bardzo różny od tego, co robiłam wcześniej, ale jednocześnie jakoś połączony z moją dotychczasową twórczością. --- wsm.serpent.pl

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