Classic Objects

Classic Objects
Studio album by
Released11 March 2022
StudioØra Studio (Trondheim)
Genre
Length42:28
Label
Producer
  • Jenny Hval
  • Kyrre Laastad
Jenny Hval chronology
The Practice of Love
(2019)
Classic Objects
(2022)
Iris Silver Mist
(2025)
Singles from Classic Objects
  1. "Jupiter"
    Released: 9 November 2021
  2. "Year of Love"
    Released: 18 January 2022
  3. "Freedom"
    Released: 7 March 2022

Classic Objects is the eighth solo studio album by Norwegian musician Jenny Hval, released 11 March 2022 on 4AD.[3] The album was produced by Hval, with co-production by Kyrre Laastad.

Recording

Classic Objects was written, performed, arranged, and recorded in Øra Studio in Trondheim.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic85/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Clash8/10[6]
DIY[7]
Exclaim!8/10[8]
The New York Times8/10[9]
Pitchfork8.0/10[1]
The Skinny[10]

Classic Objects received widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 85 based on 11 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[4]

Heather Phares of AllMusic commented that "Her songwriting feels particularly immersive this time around, and filled with writerly detail that makes the ordinary feel extraordinary."[5] Kaelen Bell of Exclaim! stated, "Warm, loose and occupied by the realities of creative work and the contradictory comfort of our 'normcore institutions,' it manages to be Hval's most accessible record yet."[8] Allison Hussey of Pitchfork called the album "her most unified mind-body work to date."[1] Lewis Wade of The Skinny stated, "This is untethered, uncluttered music, made with real heart by an artist at her peak."[10]

Accolades

Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
The Fader The 50 Best Albums of 2022
15
[11]
The Guardian The 50 Best Albums of 2022
28
[12]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2022
40
[13]
PopMatters The 80 Best Albums of 2022
59
[14]
Slant The 50 Best Albums of 2022
50
[15]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jenny Hval.

Classic Objects track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Year of Love"4:13
2."American Coffee"6:02
3."Classic Objects"4:49
4."Cemetery of Splendour"7:01
5."Year of Sky"5:20
6."Jupiter"7:55
7."Freedom"2:16
8."The Revolution Will Not Be Owned"4:49
Total length:42:28

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Classic Objects.[16]

  • Jenny Hval – vocals, background vocals, composer, arranger, instruments, production, programming (all tracks), concept, recording
  • Kyrre Laastad – co-production, guitar (tracks 1, 7), bass guitar (tracks 2, 6, 8), keyboards (track 1), drums (track 4, 6), recording
  • Håvard Volden – guitar (tracks 1–3, 7, 8), bass guitar (tracks 3, 4), keyboards (tracks 5–7)
  • Vivian Wang – additional vocals (track 6), keyboards (track 3), recording
  • Natali Abrahamsen Garner – additional vocals (tracks 2, 6, 8), recording
  • Johan Lindvall – keyboards, piano (track 8)
  • Daniel Meyer Grønvold – guitar (tracks 1–4, 7, 8)
  • Hans Hulbækmo – percussion (tracks 1–6, 8), drums (track 6, 8)
  • Annie Bielski – additional lyrics, artwork, concept, photography
  • Even Ormestad – recording (track 8)
  • Lasse Marhaug – graphic design, photography
  • Heba Kadry – mixing, mastering

Charts

Chart performance for Classic Objects
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[17] 70
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[18] 61
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[19] 20

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hussey, Allison (11 March 2022). "Jenny Hval: Classic Objects Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  2. ^ Cills, Hazel (11 March 2022). "On 'Classic Objects,' Jenny Hval interrogates her identity as an artist". NPR. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  3. ^ Jones, Abby (18 January 2022). "Jenny Hval Announces New Album Classic Objects, Shares "Year of Love"". Consequence. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Reviews for Classic Objects by Jenny Hval". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Classic Objects – Jenny Hval". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Jenny Hval – Classic Objects". Clash. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  7. ^ Tipple, Ben (11 March 2022). "Jenny Hval – Classic Objects". DIY. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  8. ^ a b Bell, Kaelen (10 March 2022). "Jenny Hval Deconstructs the Myth of Creation on 'Classic Objects'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  9. ^ Pareles, Jon (10 March 2022). "Jenny Hval Makes Ideas Sing". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  10. ^ a b Wade, Lewis (8 March 2022). "Jenny Hval – Classic Objects". The Skinny. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  11. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". The Fader. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  12. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". The Guardian. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  13. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". Pitchfork. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  14. ^ "The 80 Best Albums of 2022". PopMatters. 24 December 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  15. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". Slant Magazine. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  16. ^ Jenny Hval (2022). Classic Objects (liner notes). 4AD. 4AD0431.
  17. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 18/3/2022 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart on 18/3/2022 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 18/3/2022 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 March 2022.