HVOB: TOO – Album (2022)

Review for HVOB: TOO – Album – 2022
HVOB - TOO

Facts:

Title: TOO
Artist: HVOB
Format: Album
Label: PIAS
Release Date: April 8, 2022
Genre: Electronica
8 tracks – 47m 21s

Hi-Res

Available on qobuz and Apple Music in
24-Bit / 48 kHz – Hi-Res – Stereo

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About the album

Europe’s most exciting experimental electronic producers are the duo HVOB from Vienna in Austria. Since 2012, they have been making a lasting impact on the world of electronic music. The two musicians behind HVOB are Anna Müller and Paul Wallner.

Anna Müller composes and produces and also provides the captivating hypnotic almost breathed vocals. The final production of the tracks is done in collaboration with Paul Wallner in his Vienna studio. Together they are responsible for the unique sound of HVOB.

The success of their last album ROCCO was followed by sold out tours of America, Australia, Africa, Asia and Europe, appearances at Burning Man and Fuji Rock Japan as well as headline performances at Sonar in Barcelona, Clockenflap in Hong Kong and the Fusion Festival.

After four studio albums, not counting the 3 live albums, HVOB has released TOO, their fifth studio album. After four studio albums, not counting the 3 live albums, HVOB has released TOO, their fifth studio album. Anna Müller and Paul Wallner are using extremes in concept, content, and sound and have delivered – like cutting with a musical scalpel – an angry, tenderly vulnerable report about the state of mind of a generation. A report about a generation that is permanently in search of the reasons for inner and outer dependencies and manipulations and that does not stop looking for ways to break out of this matrix.

On the sound side, Anna Müller and Paul Wallner explore the spheres of extremes between departure and retreat, between determination and self-doubt. On the sound side, Anna Müller and Paul Wallner explore the spheres of extremes between departure and retreat, between determination and self-doubt. All of this is discharging, as usual with HVOB, in gloomy electro beats and spherical multidimensional soundscapes, adorned with Anna’s almost breathy vocals.

„TOO“ is an 8-track album that has been released in as many stages. The album has thus grown into a single entity over a period of six months, with all the songs being released one by one. The first track from the new HVOB album was/is „BRUISE, the eighth and final track was released in time for the start of the world tour in April 2022.

HVOB
© www.andreasjakwerth.com

„Bruise“ comes along with a driving bassline trying to make its own way through the industrial flair between the pumping kicks and snares, accompanied by rapturous strings and shimmering, rolling synths.

A few things can be said about the album‘ s chunky release, however. Sure, of course you can release an album in slices right up to the musical finale. A few things can be said about the album‘ s chunky release, however.

Sure, of course you can release an album in slices right up to the musical finale. After all, this is done by many producers in a similar way, who often enough do not even think about producing an album and instead release an EP with three to five tracks at the most.

But HVOB have been album producers in the past and they still are today – like no other formation in contemporary electronic music. Each album of HVOB has its own individual face, whose facets will be revealed to the listener even after weeks of approaching the work. This is what makes HVOB and their work so unique and fascinating. And also TOO is such an album, for which I will probably need a while, as always with HVOB, despite all pre-releases of the individual tracks.

But one thing can be said in any case already, TOO in its cohesiveness is incredibly suggestive, a friend recently described such type of sound very aptly as Subconscious-Pop. But one thing can be said in any case already, TOO in its cohesiveness is incredibly suggestive, a friend recently described such type of sound very aptly as Subconscious-Pop. HVOB is addressing us with their sound very deep in the hidden corners of our musical soul and bring out things and incidents that we prefer to repress or with which we do not want to deal with any further.

As an example, the gloomy oppressive KID ANTHEM, which then pulls the listener for a long time in its spell and uncovered memories of the recent past and is therefore almost physically painful. However, the result for each listener is likely to vary from person to person. It is a brilliant piece of music.

The Bottom Line

All in all, Too is a brilliant album with the well-known musical HVOB premium quality that will accompany the listener for months and once again emphatically confirms the combo as trendsetters in the European, even worldwide electronic scene. The sound quality is excellent and is available on Apple Music and qobuz in 24 bit / 48 kHz. Die Klangqualität ist exzellent und liegt bei Apple Music und qobuz in 24 Bit / 48 kHz vor.

Rating for HVOB – TOO (Album) – 2022
Format: 24 Bit / 48 kHz
Music
Höhen / Heights
Mitten / Mids
Bass
Räumlichkeit / Spaciality

Summary

max. 5 Points

4.9

My Test Equiment:

Studio 1 (High End):

  • 2 x System Audio SA Mantra 50 (front)
  • 1x System Audio SA Mantra 10 AV (center)
  • 2x System Audio SA Legend 5 (rear)
  • 1 x System Audio Saxo 10 (subwoofer)
  • 4 x Onkyo SKH-410 (B) (Dolby Atmos)
  • Auralic Altair (audio streaming client with max. 32 bit / 384 kHz)
  • NVIDIA Shield Pro with Plex, Kodi (max 192 kHz for  Audio, Tidal (MQA Streaming Client)
  • AppleTV 4K (Streaming Client) Dolby Atmos, HDR, Dolby Vision
  • Amazon Cube 4K (Streaming Client) Dolby Atmos (restricted), HDR, Dolby Vision
  • Panasonic DP-UB9004 (4K UHD Player) Dolby Atmos, HDR, Dolby Vision
  • Oppo UDP-203 (4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Player) Dolby Atmos, HDR, Dolby Vision
  • Yamaha CX-A5100 (Preamp) 4K, Dolby Atmos, Hi-res
  • Yamaha MX-A5000 (Power Amp)
  • Sony KD-55A1 (TV) 4K OLED, HDR, Dolby Vision
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