Angel OlsenBy always embracing new ideas, Angel Olsen has made her latest album triumph gloriously over her previous work. All Mirrors finds Olsen in a darkly introspective mood. Her intimate reflections on life and love are swept along on dreamy velveteen synths and the swirling serenade of a 14-piece orchestra.
Olsen has long proven what she can do with just guitar, vocals and some killer songs. Although it's reported that this was very much the starting point of this album, Olsen has opted for grand, nocturnal arrangements that are ravishingly beautiful and bigger-sounding than anything she has recorded before.
Lark seeks escape from crushing realities and heartbreak before turning introspective, exploring an unwillingness to let go of dreams. It sets the tone for a dramatic and haunting album that glitters through a glass darkly. Impasse, with its self-explanatory title, drifts through a nebulous galaxy of orchestral sound to spell-binding effect. Endgame washes over the listener, taking them to a tear-stained cocktail lounge to mourn yet another unsuccessful relationship. Olsen’s eloquent yet soul-crushing sadness on songs like Tonight and Chance at times feels bleak, but a bittersweet sense of optimism shines through this collection.
As ever, Olsen delivers an artfully crafted album that showcases her masterful control over her sound.
