Deep human emotions within a single, powerful composition.
Anna von Hausswolff’s Iconoclasts is a haunting, emotionally rich journey that slowly unfolds rather than rushes forward. Known for her gothic sound and powerful use of the pipe organ, the Gothenburg-born artist opens the album with “The Beast,” a hopeful instrumental that gently dissolves into silence before easing into “Facing Atlas.” That transition sets the tone for the record, patient, immersive and deeply atmospheric.
“Facing Atlas” floats on looping, echoing instrumentals that never seem to land, while Anna’s voice rises in a chant-like, almost ancient way. It feels angelic and weightless, like a beam of light cutting through darkness. The album’s first words, “I came to take you back / To where you came from / But that’s not what you want,” land like a quiet incantation, immediately painting a picture of someone shaped by hardship but softened by a relationship that changes her.
The title track, “Iconoclasts,” centers on the repeated line “can I protect you,” exploring love, mortality and self-discovery through dramatic swells and emotional intensity. It feels devotional and vulnerable, pulling at the heart while inviting reflection. A later track leans more into a folky warmth and features Iggy Pop, whose presence adds depth to the theme of connection and emotional clarity, showing how this relationship has washed over them and allowed vulnerability in a world that often resists it.
“The Mouth” follows and is far more solemn than the heartfelt track before it. Where the previous song feels open and warm, this one turns inward and uneasy. The song closes with the repeated line “I need some help to control myself,” which feels raw and unsettling, unraveling a possible toxic or draining pattern that has entered her life.
“Aging Young Women,” featuring Ethel Cain, uses heavy religious imagery to explore disillusionment, womanhood and the complexities of growing older. These themes align naturally with Cain’s own work, which often examines faith, religious trauma and identity, making the collaboration feel deeply intentional rather than incidental.
“Consensual Neglect” serves as another instrumental moment before leading into “Struggle with the Beast,” one of the album’s darkest and most confronting tracks. Here, Anna captures the feeling of losing control of the mind, possibly within a psychiatric setting, while still holding onto the belief that life holds more. Lines like “People are dying while I’m playing dead” underline the painful contrast between personal suffering and the reality of a wider world in crisis.
The album’s final lyrical piece, “Unconditional Love,” features Maria von Hausswolff and closes the record on an incredibly moving note. The organ swells as the album ends with the lines “I can’t dream until you dream free / I am you, we can barely see,” forming a quiet pact of devotion and solidarity. Iconoclasts is heavy and complex, but its themes are beautifully expressed, proving Anna von Hausswolff’s ability to weave intense, deeply human emotions into a single, powerful composition.
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