Love Streams (album)

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Love Streams
Studio album by
Tim Hecker
ReleasedApril 8, 2016
Recorded2014–2015
StudioGreenhouse Studios, Reykjavík, Iceland
GenreExperimental[1]
Length42:49
Label
Producer
Tim Hecker chronology
Virgins
(2013) 		Love Streams
(2016) 		Konoyo
(2018)
Singles from Love Streams
  1. "Castrati Stack"
    Released: February 19, 2016
  2. "Black Phase"
    Released: March 30, 2016

Love Streams is the eighth studio album by Canadian electronic music musician Tim Hecker, released on April 8, 2016 on 4AD and Paper Bag Records.[2] The album was recorded throughout 2014 and 2015 at Greenhouse Studios in Reykjavík, Iceland, where parts of Hecker's last two albums Virgins (2013) and Ravedeath, 1972 (2011) were recorded.[2][3]

Background and recording[edit]

The album features Kara-Lis Coverdale and Grímur Helgason, who were both collaborators on Hecker's last album Virgins, as well as contributions from the Icelandic Choir Ensemble, whose vocal arrangements were scored by Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson.[2] Hecker professed to having thought about ideas like "liturgical aesthetics after Yeezus" and the "transcendental voice in the age of auto-tune" during its creation.[4]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10[5]
Metacritic82/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
The A.V. ClubB[8]
The Guardian[9]
The Irish Times[10]
Mojo[11]
The Observer[12]
Pitchfork8.2/10[13]
Q[14]
Spin7/10[15]
Uncut8/10[16]

Love Streams received universal acclaim from critics. On the aggregate score site Metacritic, the album scored at 82 out of 100, indicating "universal acclaim".[6] Pitchfork wrote that "Love Streams marks a subtle shift in Tim Hecker's habitual style, a pivot away from his hazy trademark."[13] PopMatters gave the album nine stars out of ten,[17] stating that "Love Streams is at once familiar and totally alien; a work of art that reminds us why we need art in the first place."

Accolades[edit]

Publication Accolade Year Rank Ref.
Consequence of Sound Top 50 Albums of 2016 2016
17
[18]
Pitchfork The 20 Best Experimental Albums of 2016 2016 —
[1]
The Quietus Albums of the Year 2016 2016
51
[19]
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2016 2016
48
[20]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Tim Hecker

No.TitleLength
1."Obsidian Counterpoint"4:55
2."Music of the Air"4:08
3."Bijie Dream"2:16
4."Live Leak Instrumental"2:56
5."Violet Monumental I"4:58
6."Violet Monumental II"3:13
7."Up Red Bull Creek"2:41
8."Castrati Stack"4:01
9."Voice Crack"3:14
10."Collapse Sonata"4:12
11."Black Phase"6:15
Total length:42:49

Personnel[edit]

  • Jóhann Jóhannsson – choral arrangement
  • Icelandic Choir Ensemble – choir
  • Owen Roberts – choir conductor
  • Ben Frost – studio engineering, additional choral production
  • Kara-Lis Coverdale – keyboards
  • Paul Corley – additional mixing
  • Grímur Helgason – woodwind

Charts[edit]

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[21] 86
UK Albums (OCC)[22] 97

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "The 20 Best Experimental Albums of 2016". Pitchfork. December 9, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "New Album 'Love Streams'". 4AD. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  3. ^ Strauss; Minsker. "Tim Hecker Announces New Album Love Streams". Pitchfork. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  4. ^ "The Quietus announce Love Streams". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Love Streams by Tim Hecker reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Reviews for Love Streams by Tim Hecker". Metacritic. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  7. ^ Simpson, Paul. "Love Streams – Tim Hecker". AllMusic. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  8. ^ Warwick, Kevin (April 8, 2016). "Tim Hecker's compositions are engineered to drift off into the ether". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  9. ^ "Tim Hecker: Love Streams review – fascinating, uplifting experimental noise". The Guardian. April 7, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  10. ^ Carroll, Jim (April 28, 2016). "Tim Hecker – Love Streams review: ying yang mix of ethereal ambience and visceral stunning noise". The Irish Times. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  11. ^ Worthy, Stephen (May 2016). "Tim Hecker: Love Streams". Mojo (270): 91.
  12. ^ Empire, Kitty (April 10, 2016). "Tim Hecker: Love Streams review – genuinely immersive". The Observer. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Sherburne, Philip (April 7, 2016). "Tim Hecker: Love Streams". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  14. ^ Segal, Victoria (May 2016). "Tim Hecker: Love Streams". Q (358): 111.
  15. ^ Kelly, Zach (April 5, 2016). "Review: Tim Hecker Says Hello 2 Heaven on 'Love Streams'". Spin. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  16. ^ Mulvey, John (May 2016). "Tim Hecker: Love Streams". Uncut (228): 83.
  17. ^ "Tim Hecker: Love Streams". PopMatters. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  18. ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2016". Consequence of Sound. November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  19. ^ "The Quietus Albums of the Year 2016". The Quietus. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  20. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Stereogum. December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  21. ^ "Ultratop.be – Tim Hecker – Love Streams" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  22. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
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