ALBUM REVIEW: i Häxa – i Häxa
Released over the course of the year in four EPs, the self-titled debut album from I HÄXA tells a story regarding ancient rituals and rites that formed who we are as a society today, with the main themes considering self-identity and finding one’s place in the world, told through not just through I HÄXA’s point of view but from supernatural beings.
What we are left with is a record that can leave you unsettled and, at times, in a trancelike state, but it leaves in awe at the ethereal beauty we can hear and visualise. Even without knowing the ideas behind the tracks, and more specifically the way they were split up, you can already grasp the themes and understand on a deep level where they are coming from. Especially if you’re someone who enjoys dark fantasy.
From the moment the record opens with Underworld, with it’s blend of ethereal, haunting sounds and dark electronic pop, you feel like the protagonist of your own supernatural fantasy novel where, in this current scene, you’ve become a wilder version of yourself as you run through a dark forest. From here the album, whilst mostly staying within the alternative folk genre, constantly brings in different sounds and styles, like the ethereal noises and electronic music mentioned earlier, yet so much more.
What’s more interesting is that the record isn’t just based in a world of fiction and folklore, but we also see elements of the real world. More specifically, tracks like Fog Of War, Army and Dryland, seem to offer commentary on the topic of war, peace, and questioning on humanity’s need to fight one another: a ‘tradition’ that goes back hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
The album itself is fragmented, in not only time, but in atmospheres and genres. One moment, we can go into the realms of a dark fantasy, and then the next we’re left in a state of melancholy when we move into songs like Last At The Table and The Well that bring in piano and violins. Following that we see the use of distorted spoken word, like in Inferno and Fog Of War; and even bringing in elements of moody alternative rock, like in Eight Eyes, that will remind you of your favourite teen supernatural films from 15 years ago (guaranteed we all have one). Perhaps the main highlight is the Part 3 section, that brings in heavier industrial instruments that, not only remind you of melodic nu-metal bands like WITHIN TEMPTATION and EVANESCENCE, but also draws modern comparison to artists like POPPY.
It would be easy to describe every track in excruciating detail and explain why each song on this record is incredible, but we believe it’s better for you to experience it for yourself. What we can say is that it’s a beautiful masterpiece.
Rating: 9/10
i Häxa is out now via Pelagic Records.
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