Ceremony

After buying and absolutely adoring Iconoclasts (her latest, 2025, release), I had to investigate Anna a it more; so I bought this. What a fantastic album it is - a cocktail of moods led by the pipe organ, her soaring voice and a small group of wonderful musicians (including her sister Maria who sings vocals on about four tracks). The album starts with an instrumental - Anna on the pipe organ - and finishes with a beautiful guitar-led dark ballad with Anna and Maria singing (to me) mournfully. In between, there are eleven more tracks of sheer magic. I can't write as eloquently as the other reviewers, so I will just say that this is gorgeous and she is my find of 2025. I may be late in discovering her, but better late than never!

I remember standing in the corner of the Hoxton bar wondering how such a tiny blonde creature, almost obscured by the organ she was caressing, could generate so much intensity and passion when a voice, as clear and penetrating as a crystal knife, rose above the rapturous frenzy of the organ and sent the hairs on the back of my neck into overdrive. I don't know whether the disparate collection of people in the audience loved or hated what they were hearing, but I was in no doubt that everyone was suddenly aware that they were witnessing the emergence of an extraordinary and orginal talent. Ceremony may be loosely labelled as a 'pop' or indie pop' album, but it's light years away from the mostly predictable, insipid genres of pop that emanates from our radios and televisions. This is something very special indeed. Bold, original and extraordinarily powerful. There is a dark, funereal quality to the album, but running through everything there is also a sense of joy and defiance that finds no greater expression than in the magnificent, and strangely uplifting, Funeral for my Future Children or the tender, subdued counterpoint of the hauntingly beautiful Litany of Light. Music for grown ups. A masterpiece. My album of the year.

The concept of this album is to utiise the organ of Annedal "church" in Gothenburg, Sweden as the basis for Anna's music and it is a really intriguing and overall a very successful one. The "church" is actually more like a cathedral (1,000 capacity according to the Goteborg Tourist Office!) and the sound is much more expansive than a typical church organ. Over this backdrop are overlaid more conventional guitars and percussion and most strikingly the vocals of Anna and her sister Maria on all but a sprinkling of instrumental tracks. The sisters' excellent vocals differ both from each other and according to the mood of the track, but if you need a comparison think of Elizabeth Frazer with a bit of Kate Bush thrown in. The overall mood is generally is very subdued as reflected in the titles of the tracks but the album occasionally escapes its melancholia on the more upbeat cuts like Mountains Crave. The standout track is Funeral for My Future Children which had me wishing for a lyric sheet which is sadly absent. So the CD loses a star from me for variability and lack of lyric sheet, but if you like the Cocteau Twins, Efterklang and Arcade Fire you will find plenty to like here.

Well packaged, arrived promptly. Great album, ambient at times- but when the vocals kick in they do stir the emotions. I'm sure if Anna was around a couple of decades ago, Ivo Watts -Russell would have signed her to 4AD- she is that good !

An amazing collection of beautiful songs enhanced by the addition of Anna's sister on vocals for some of the tracks. Much better than her later album, The Miraculous. I would recommend buying Ceremony if you are a first time buyer - you will not be disappointed. The instrumentation and production are first class.

It is unusual to hear someone grappling with a huge church organ in the 'pop' music field.Anna Von Hausswolff creates a beautiful album with this amazing instrument. You have to listen over and over but the rewards are high.

Liked this CD. Reminds me of church music as the organ is so prevalent. Anna's voice also reminds me of Kate Bush.

Like a lot of people, I heard this on radio 6 late at night and was hooked. I really like the feel of the music and Anna`s voice. The effects she creates on "one body" send shivers down my neck. I`d love to hear more like this. Highly recommended.

La atmósfera de órganos, piano, la voz femenina de la artista y su música... me resulta de esos artistas escondidos y genuinos de los que poco se sabe pero que tienen mucho potencial

Wie bitte soll man denn das nennen, was uns Unwürdigen hier vorgesetzt wird? Das passt in überhaupt gar keine Schublade und dennoch ist fast alles dabei - Pop, Klassik, Electronic, Rock, Drones und viele, viele musikalische Ideen, die ein musikalisches Konglomerat ohne Bezeichnung abliefern. An manchen Stellen merkt man doch, wes Vaters Tochter sie ist (der Name "von Hausswolff" ist in Schweden nicht ganz unbekannt!) Nun ja, die 26-jährige Anna von Hausswolff nennt es selbst "Funeral Pop", wobei man das Wort "Pop" da schon sehr weit definieren muß...Diese Kirchenorgel, die sie von der Annedalkyrkan bekommen hat, ist omnipräsent auf nahezu jedem Song dieses Albums und Annas Spiel darauf offenbart nicht nur die Vielseitigkeit dieses ungewöhnlichen Instrumentes, sondern auch die Wucht und die Tiefe, die man damit erzielen kann. Mich jedenfalls hauen solche Titel wie "Deathbed", "Epitaph of Theodor" oder "Goodbye" einfach nur um! Und die Stimme von Anna ist nun wirklich einzigartig! Die verschiedenen Klangfarben und Nuancen haben einen epischen, beruhigenden, aber auch mächtigen Charakter. Und eben auch manchmal einen spielerischen, fast kindlichen Charakter. Genau darin liegt einer der Reize dieses Albums, das sich mit dem ungreifbaren Thema "Tod" beschäftigt, aber eben nicht ängstlich und ehrfürchtig, sondern irgendwie auch neugierig...was passiert da und dann? Traurigkeit - ja. Hoffnungslosigkeit - Nein! Unglaubliches intensives Hörerlebnis und ein "Ohrenschmaus" für alle Neugierigen! Nicht nur die akustische, sondern auch die optische Entdeckung des Jahres 2013!

After hearing her featured on NPR, I immediately ordered the CD and was not disappointed. I like unusual music, so if you're looking for mainstream pop, this is NOT the album for you! I can understand critics who point out that the musicianship and the song writing are both pretty simplistic, but the combination of the church organ and Anna's voice make these songs work. The subtle drums and guitar embellishments add an extra sonic dimension without intruding too much, and these additions enhance the mood of each piece. You'll hear hints of Kate Bush in Anna's voice, but she displays a range of styles, liberally trading between soft vocals, celtic-style chanting, and husky growling, sometimes within the same song. I'm still enjoying it after probably a dozen listens over the past month or so. Again, "Ceremony" is not for everyone... Anna Von Hausswolff is an acquired taste, but worth a try if you need a breath of fresh air after choking on the dull nonsense that passes for contemporary music these days!

Musique hallucinante. Elle nous fait voyager.

Muzycznie super. Technicznie: zamówiłem 3 szt. I każda jest krzywa.