EXCELLENT REVIEWS FOR THE NEW HALL ALBUM

The new Martin Hall album Phasewide, Exit Signs – his first solo release in seven years – has been met with great reviews in the press. Highlights go like this:

• ”The ever changeable Hall in disturbingly good shape.” ( * * * * * )
  Gaffa (Denmark’s biggest music magazine).
• ”Quite simply an aesthetic experience.” ( * * * * * )
  Undertoner (leading Danish site for independent music).
• ”Breathtakingly beautiful.” ( * * * * * )
  Lydtapet (Danish site for independent music).
• ”Haunting beauty and a delicate, melancholic desperation.” ( * * * * )
  Jyllands-Posten (Denmark’s biggest newspaper).
• ”An altogether stunning experience.” ( * * * * * )
  Aarhus Stiftstidende (daily Danish newspaper).
• ”This album is a delight to listen to.” ( * * * * * )
  BT (Denmark’s equivalent to The Daily Mirror).
• ”Beautiful and unique.”
  Politiken (Denmark’s equivalent to The Guardian).
• ”Extremely present.”
  Information (Denmark’s equivalent to The Independent).
• ”One of the most important records of 2013 appeared. Outstanding.” ( * * * * * )
  Nowamuzyka (Polish site for independent music).

The record itself is probably best described as a musical log book, a quite discreet sounding piece of work that has been recorded in cities such as Montreal, London and Brussels. Hall works with several new collaborators the album, 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.

RECENT RE-RELEASES OF THE HALL BACK CATALOGUE

During the last couple of years a fair amount of re-releases of old, otherwise hard-to-get titles from the Martin Hall catalogue have been issued as cd or download. Most of the cd-versions contain either bonus material or new extensive liner notes. Read more about the re-releases here:

Relief/Cutting Through (remastered cd-edition).
Apparently All The Same (remastered special edition).
Random Hold (remastered special edition).
Before (legendary support gig for New Order).
SS-Say/Pesteg Dred (remastered cd-edition).
Catalogue (box set with 5 audio cd’s and one dvd 1980-2007).
Catalyst (singles 1982-2008).

Recently Presence and Imperfect were released as remastered versions on iTunes as well.

HALL LIVE AT THE COURT THEATRE – 6 OUT OF 6 STARS

Martin Hall’s sold-out live performance at The Court Theatre in Copenhagen on April 25 has just received a phenomenal 6 out of 6 star review on Denmark’s leading music site GAFFA. The summation of the review goes like this:

“It’s often said that Martin Hall is a brand of its own in Denmark. I’m about to object that this is not entirely true. At least I haven’t met that many of his calibre abroad either. At his best Hall belongs to the international top class of performers.”

You can read the full review (in Danish) at the GAFFA site where you’ll also find a line of photos taken during the concert.

Photos taken by Jacob Dinesen (courtesy of GAFFA).

“MUTED CRIES” – NEW VIDEO OUT

”Muted Cries” is a song taken from the forthcoming Hall album Phasewide, Exit Signs that will be released on the 2nd of April 2013. The track is recorded in Montreal and Copenhagen with pianist Linus Carlsen and guitarist Johnny Stage.

The video is filmed by the Danish photographer Robin Skjoldborg and edited by Henrik Möll. Additional footage is taken from a performance made by Anastasija Kiake.

”IF POWER ASKS WHY” RECEIVES GREAT REVIEWS

The Martin Hall album If Power Asks Why featuring mezzo-soprano Andrea Pellegrini and classical pianist Tanja Zapolski has received a line of great reviews. We bring you a few quotes:

Gaffa (5 out of 6 stars): ”Excellent melodic material and brilliant arrangements … a great success from start to finish.” ( * * * * * )
Information: ”Martin Hall brilliantly stages mezzo-soprano Andrea Pellegrini and pianist Tanja Zapolski in a masquerade of classical lieder and perverted pop.”
DR2’s Smagsdommerne (the weekly cultural recommendations on Danish National Television): ”Fantastic! An incredibly good record.”

P6 Beat (Danish National Radio): “A masterly performed principal work!”
Berlingske Media: ”A deliciously decadent universe.”
Fyens Stiftstidende: ”Outrageous? Eccentric? Yes …”
Politiken: ”Pellegrini’s warm and enchanting voice has the capacity to melt icebergs.”
Tempelores: ”Give yourself the opportunity to be amazed and get this release.”

Furthermore the album has been nominated for the Danish National Radio’s P2 Award 2013.

“NOSTATIC!” RECEIVES EXCELLENT REVIEWS

Martin Hall’s new book Nostatic! has received a line of excellent reviews in the Danish medias. Jyllands-Posten, Denmark’s biggest daily newspaper, awards Hall’s new book with 5 out of 6 stars. Likewise does Fyens Stifstidende. Politiken, the Danish equivalent to The Guardian, gives the release 4 out of 6 stars.

Among many other things Jyllands-Posten writes the following: “Martin Hall keeps a fine balance between his vast knowledge and his burning commitment. In short, he writes with style.” ( * * * * * )

Fyens Stifstidende proceeds this kind of appreciation with statements such as: “Outstanding essays: Even at the level of details the book is eminent.” ( * * * * * )

Finally Politiken writes: “Martin Hall writes well and appetizing. Nostatic! is unsentimental all the way through. The book is interesting and the handling of the individual subjects is distinctly catching.” ( * * * * )