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9.0
26129
9.0 |
musicOMH
Her brilliant, visceral talent for stormy melodies and untouchable lyrical knack makes her an astonishingly universal figure
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9.0
26700
9.0 |
PopMatters
EMA’s work is simultaneously some of the most interesting I’ve heard in years, and jaggedly alive, the furthest thing from any sort of academic exercise
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8.5
26540
8.5 |
Beats Per Minute
From epic opener “The Grey Ship,” to the equally epic closing track “Red Star,” Past Life Martyred Saints is an album that captivates, provokes, and pleases
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8.5
26448
8.5 |
Pitchfork
It hits as hard as a cold slap in the face - and will leave its mark on you
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8.5
26454
8.5 |
The Line Of Best Fit
Her album emplifies an undying, unrelenting hunger for something new, and that’s why it’s so utterly glorious
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8.3
27197
8.3 |
A.V. Club
It’s hard not to hope EMA finds her slice of heaven soon, but the closer she drifts to hell, the better her music
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8.0
27506
8.0 |
Rave Magazine
A rare glimpse into an intensely private world of pain and loss, but even if it’s hard to bear at times we should be thankful to Anderson for letting us in
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8.0
32876
8.0 |
State
Like all great albums, there is not a groove of filler here, and moreover the most immediately arresting tracks can initially obscure the slow-burning gems
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8.0
26621
8.0 |
The Quietus
No doubt Past Life Martyred Saints will see EMA get compared to various female performers but she's a stone cold original as far as I can tell and as such deserves better
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8.0
26665
8.0 |
The Irish Times
An album that never wavers in its intensity and which bodes well for Anderson’s future wor
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8.0
26732
8.0 |
Slant Magazine
Though Gowns foreshadowed a lot of what Anderson is about, going solo has allowed her to make something genuinely personal and almost frighteningly hones
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8.0
26485
8.0 |
Consequence Of Sound
A record that is both magical and heartbreaking
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8.0
26491
8.0 |
DIY
EMA is able to weave together guitar riffs, feedback, and synthesizer drones to create a significant level of sonic drama
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8.0
26362
8.0 |
The Fly
Dark, devilish and utterly intriguing, this is an album to lose yourself in
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8.0
26076
8.0 |
The Skinny
Manages to channel the primal intensity of the blues into a contemporary form, making Past Life Martyred Saints a remarkably accomplished record
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8.0
26077
8.0 |
Uncut
A record of great stature. Print edition only
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8.0
26078
8.0 |
Mojo
Deliriously woozy nine-track thrill-ride. Print edition only
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8.0
26079
8.0 |
Subba Cultcha
There's a lyrical sacredness counterbalanced by visceral but controlled sonic attack and surprise
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8.0
26173
8.0 |
NME
Her perceptive glare is intense and unrelenting
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8.0
26225
8.0 |
Drowned In Sound
Not easy, but often fascinating, wholly rewarding and genuinely cathartic
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7.0
26154
7.0 |
Bowlegs
An artist whose creative restlessness is only set to provide listeners with more moments of magic as displayed on the majority of this album. A fine debut
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7.0
26477
7.0 |
The Digital Fix
It's bewildering, but ultimately rewarding and Past Life Martyred Saints demands attention like few other modern albums do
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7.0
26710
7.0 |
Under The Radar
Anderson’s attraction is her unease — a tension so thick it would take a lifetime of sunshine to eradicate
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7.0
26693
7.0 |
No Ripcord
It all ties together well, and it owes its quality to the unwavering confidence of her delivery, both musically and lyrically
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7.0
35356
7.0 |
BBC
Song for song, it’s one of the most impressive collections of the year. As an album, a glorious rawness and disregard for verse-chorus-verse simplicity runs throughout, but it strains for cohesion
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7.0
26400
7.0 |
Clash
This is labour intensive listening, but hard work reaps rewards. A gnomic, genre-busting album
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6.0
27071
6.0 |
Q
Print edition only
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6.0
26390
6.0 |
The Observer
One tough woman's level stare into the abyss, with the aid of voice, guitar and distorting effects
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6.0
26309
6.0 |
Daily Telegraph
Her work plumbs torrid emotional depths
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6.0
26319
6.0 |
The Independent
There's plenty of My Bloody Valentine-style drone guitars and distortion, allied to brash sturm und drang percussion
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