Martin Hall’s latest album Phasewide, Exit Signs has been met with a line of excellent reviews in both Danish and European medias. The album is the singer’s first solo record for seven years and offers several interesting new collaborations. For a more detailed album description, see the end of this post.

A short summary of the Danish reviews features the following highlights:
 

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”The ever changeable Hall in disturbingly good shape.”
( * * * * * )
Gaffa (Denmark’s biggest music magazine)

”To listen to Phasewide, Exit Signs is quite simply an aesthetic experience.”
( * * * * * )
Undertoner (Danish site for independent music)

“Breathtakingly beautiful.”
( * * * * * )
Lydtapet (Danish site for independent music)

”An altogether stunning experience.”
( * * * * * )
Aarhus Stiftstidende (Danish daily newspaper)

”This album is a delight to listen to.”
( * * * * * )
BT (Denmark’s equivalent to The Daily Mirror)

”Haunting beauty and a delicate, melancholic desperation.”
( * * * * )
Jyllands-Posten (Denmark’s biggest newspaper)

“Beautiful and unique.”
Politiken (The Danish equivalent to The Guardian)

“Extremely present.”
Information (Denmark’s equivalent to The Independent)
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When Phasewide, Exit Signs was released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in October, the European reviews were equally enthusiastic. The album release was followed up by a number of articles about Hall in some of Germany’s biggest magazines such as Orkus Magazine, who also put the video ”Muted Cries” in rotation on their channel.

During the years several of Martin Hall’s records have been released on the German market. In the 80’s both Relief and Cutting Through received a lot of attention in the country, and in 1997 Random Hold was released by the German label Public Propaganda with subsequent extremely positive reviews. In 2006 Facsimile likewise received several excellent reviews.

A short overview of some of the international reviews of Phasewide, Exit Signs goes like this:
 

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“One of the most important records of 2013. Outstanding.”
( 5 / 5 )
Nowamuzyka (Polish site for independent music)

”To bow before such an artist is a duty, to enjoy his art a pleasure not to be denied.”
( 8 / 10 )
Darkroom Magazine (Italian music magazine)

“Intoxicating … be sure to check it out.”
Orkus Magazine (major German music magazine)

”Dark and hypnotic: Hall understands the award of forging strong tension.”
( 12 / 15 )
Musik Reviews (German site for independent music)

“A very positive surprise … impressive.”
( 11 / 15 )
Baby Blaue (German site for independent music)

“A quiet, thoughtful and spherical album.”
( 7 / 10 )
Der Hörspiegel (German site for alternative music)

“Phasewide, Exit Signs allows deep insights into what a brilliant artist Hall is.”
Alternativ Musik (German site for independent music)

“A rousing album.”
Music Scan (German music site)

“A poignant, but obscure experimental album that comes in a kind of cabaret format making it more accessible.”
( 6 / 7 )
Side-Line Music Magazine (Belgian music site)
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Phasewide, Exit Signs can be described as a kind of musical log book. The album has been recorded in cities such as Montreal, London and Brussels and Martin Hall works with several new collaborators on this occasion, one of these being the Greek-English pianist Othon Mataragas (probably best known from his works with names such as Marc Almond, Current 93 and Peter Christopherson from Coil and Throbbing Gristle). Other tracks feature artists such as Linus Carlsen and The Funeral Tag Brass Band. Well-known Hall collaborators such as Christian Skeel, Johnny Stage and The Vista Dome Ensemble also appear on the recordings.

In November 2013 Martin Hall was nominated for two GAFFA awards (the biggest Danish music magazine) in the categories “Danish album of the year” and “best Danish male artist”. In December the Polish site Nowamuzyka elected Phasewide, Exit Signs to be “album of the year” (top 10 features artists such as Flaming Lips and Mazzy Star).