Aromanticism (album)

''Aromanticism'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Moses Sumney. It was released on September 22, 2017, by Jagjaguwar. It is a concept album about "lovelessness as a sonic dreamscape" that "seeks to interrogate the idea that romance is normative and necessary." The record was written and produced by Sumney, with assistance from numerous musicians. It features new versions of two previously-released songs, "Plastic" and "Lonely World".

Composition

The songs on ''Aromanticism'' have been seen as chamber songs with "nocturnal-sounding" arrangements. It is also a "heady mélange" that mixes folk and soul music with jazz harmonies.

Critical reception

''Aromanticism'' received widespread acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 85, based on 15 reviews. Brian Josephs of ''Spin'' gave a positive review, stating, "The dreamy project leaves the snide social critiques and radicalisms to the wayside for 36 minutes that feel of its own realm, where the dichotomies and bodily desire feel self-contained. The intimacy is never lost within the set's high concept: For an album centered on lonesomeness, ''AROMANTICISM'' feels warm." ''Aromanticism'' was named "Best New Music", with '' Pitchfork'' reviewer Jason King calling it "a musical detoxification from the exhausting stream of information that now constitutes a normal day of news." In his review, Greg Kot of the ''Chicago Tribune'' wrote: "The songs run together, serene yet troubled, beautiful yet bruised. They are built to linger." Nina Corcoran of '' Consequence of Sound'' praised the album, stating: "It requires multiple listens. In turn, that helps the listener grow, revealing spaces where their own narrative and experiences can intertwine with his—not in a romantic sense, but in an educational sense. As a result, ''Aromanticism'' already has become and promises to remain one of the most emotionally therapeutic albums of the year."

The ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "breathtakingly beautiful", writing, "Sumney places layer upon layer of his voice into tracks until he achieves Beach Boys-esque harmony." Anna Alger of ''Exclaim!'' said: "With ''Aromanticism'', Moses Sumney creates a harmonious world in which he speaks from a position that isn't often recognized. Sumney approaches the complexities of relationships, power structures and an inability to experience romantic love with a quiet, powerful confidence." Harriet Gibsone of ''The Guardian'' wrote: "When music sounds this complete and absorbing, it's a wonder we waste our lives chasing coexistence with sweaty, needy humans anyway." Kitty Empire of ''The Observer'' gave the album a positive review, calling Sumney's falsetto "celestial" but felt the underuse of his lower register was a drawback. Shahzaib Hussain of '' Clash'' echoed the same sentiment, calling Sumney's lower register "a cottony, sinewy part of his arsenal reduced to a mere cameo."

Accolades

Track listing

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

Notes
* signifies an additional producer.

Personnel

Musicians
* Moses Sumney – vocals, bass guitar , guitar , synthesizers
* Rob Moose – string arrangement and performance
* Miguel Atwood-Ferguson – string arrangement and performance
* Brandee Younger – harp
* Rashaan Carter – upright bass
* Jamire Williams – drums
* Thundercat – bass guitar
* Paris Strother – piano and synthesizer arrangements
* Joshua Willing Halpern – guitar
* Mike Rocha – horns
* Ian Chang – drums
* Tosin Abasi – guitar
* Tracy Wannomae – flute , clarinet
* Nicole Miglis – flute
* Matt Otto – synthesizers
* Ludwig Göransson – guitar , bass guitar , synthesizer

Engineers
* Joshua Willing Halpern – engineering , mixing
* Matt Otto – engineering
* Michael Harris – engineering
* Rashaan Carter – engineering
* Moses Sumney – engineering
* Gueorgui Linev – engineering
* Billy Mims – engineering
* Trayer Tryon – engineering
* Ben Baptie – mixing
* Ted Jensen – mastering

Artwork
* Eric Gyamfi – photography
* Sean Walker – additional photography
* Julian Gross – design

Charts

References

{{Authority control

2017 debut albums
Moses Sumney albums
Jagjaguwar albums