Shiver

by Jonsi

Overview

A decade between albums is a long time, but the evolution of Jonsi's music from Go to Shiver is so profound, it feels like it should be measured in light years instead of the ones marked by calendars. His first solo album, which arrived 16 years after he began changing post-rock with Sigur Ros, was much more pop-oriented than his work with his band, and its pastoral, winsome, yet noble songs could have been the soundtrack to an epic tale from long ago. On Shiver, he takes this fantastical quality in bold new directions, pairing blatantly artificial sounds with emotions that feel more real than ever. To help him with this transformation, Jonsi recruited a small handful of A-list collaborators. Chief among them is executive producer A.G. Cook. Working with PC Music and on his own, Cook knows how to make music that convincingly bridges extremes -- bright and shadowy, familiar and unexpected -- and taps into the genuine feelings lurking under shiny synthetic surfaces and dense electronic textures. "Hold," with its layers of processed vocals and ticking percussion, sounds like it could've appeared on Cook's own album Apple or Charli XCX's How I'm Feeling Now. With Cook's help, Jonsi heightens Shiver's unpredictable sounds and moods. The rhythms are barreling and metallic; the harmonies are radiant; the highs are euphoric; and the lows are fathomless. These quick-shifting sonics make for nimble songs that give equal time to Jonsi's tender, fierce, serious, and mischievous sides. "Exhale" begins the album with soothing, open-hearted affirmations ("It isn't your fault/Just let it go") that draw listeners in close; on "Swill," braying brass and elephantine beats give its feeling of triumph a nervy, volatile quality that cuts a wide swath. Considering how striking Jonsi's natural voice is, the processed vocals that are a hallmark of Cook's work could seem unnecessary, but on Shiver, their plastic, hyper-expressive tones feel both alien and deeply human. Surrounded by choral washes, Jonsi's creaky tones give the impression that he's an ancient being consumed by longing on "Beautiful Boy." Elsewhere, he's joined by two other beloved singers who contribute some of the album's stand-out moments. The stomping, frost-bitten pop of "Salt Licorice," which features Robyn, makes the most of her expertise at dancing through her tears (or in this case, "Scandinavian pain") and ends up being a career highlight for everyone involved. On "Cannibal," Elizabeth Fraser sounds as spine-tingling as ever as she lends a shimmering spirituality to Jonsi's visceral carnality. Despite the prominent guest stars and radical musical changes, Shiver's focus is always on Jonsi and his innate gift for expressing pure feeling. As he reinvents what is essential to his music, he delivers some previously unimagined thrills. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	10/02/2020
Label:	Krunk
UPC:	0190296836572

Tracks

1. Exhale
2. Shiver
3. Cannibal
4. Wildeye
5. Sumari¿¿ Sem Aldrei Kom
6. K¿¿rall
7. Salt Licorice
8. Hold
9. Swill
10. Grenade
11. Beautiful Boy

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jonsi   Primary Artist,Vocals
Nico Muhly   Primary Artist
Elizabeth Fraser   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Samuli Kosminen   Primary Artist,Percussion
Jack Armitage   Primary Artist
A.G. Cook   Primary Artist,Synthesizer
Nicolas Petitfrere   Primary Artist,Piano,Violin,Synthesizer
Julianna Barwick   Primary Artist,Vocals
Mary Lattimore   Primary Artist,Harp
Robyn   Primary Artist,Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Barnaby Roper   Cover Photo
Alex Somers   Vocal Engineer,Engineer
Samuli Kosminen   Performer
Jonsi   Design,Composer,Producer,Executive Producer
Nico Muhly   Performer
Jon Þor Birgisson   Composer
Nicolas Petitfrere   Engineer,Performer,Additional Production
Geoff Swan   Mixing
A.G. Cook   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Performer,Executive Producer
Elizabeth Fraser   Performer,Composer
Noemak   Producer
Jack Armitage   Producer,Programming,Additional Production
Sarah Hopper   Design
Stuart Hawkes   Mastering
Damon Reece   Engineer
Robyn   Performer