Agora is a solo studio album by Austrian musician Christian Fennesz under the mononym Fennesz. It was released on 29 March 2019 through Touch. It received universal acclaim from critics.
Contents
Background
Agora is Fennsz's first solo studio album since Bécs (2014). It was recorded after he had temporarily lost a proper studio space and moved his gear back to a bedroom in his flat. He created the album on headphones, using minimal equipment. The album's title comes from an ancient Greek marketplace.
Critical reception
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Agora received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 10 critic scores.
Paul Simpson of AllMusic stated, "The unpolished feel of Agora is a bit striking for a Fennesz release, but it's clearly just as carefully considered as his other albums, and makes a welcome addition to his catalog." Jack Bray of The Line of Best Fit commented that "Agora is hypnotic, transient and valuable and a rarity which although oppressive at times ultimately delivers on a promise as tangible as it is striking." Mark Richardson of Pitchfork stated, "Each of the four tracks has its own dramatic arc, some subtle and some utterly titanic, and the record as a whole has a cumulative force only possible when those are stacked one atop the other." He added, "there's something special about Agora in how it integrates the immediate pleasure of his pop influences with the patience of his extended works."
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.
Katharina Caecilia Fennesz – vocals (2)
Mira Waldmann – vocals (3)
Manfred Neuwirth – field recording (3)
Denis Blackham – mastering
Jon Wozencroft – photography, design