Extreme (Molly Nilsson album) explained

Extreme
Type:studio
Artist:Molly Nilsson
Cover:Molly Nilsson Extreme artwork.jpg
Recorded:2019–2020
Studio:Lighthouse Studios, Berlin
Genre:Synth-pop
Length:41:31
Label:
  • Dark Skies Association
  • Night School
Producer:Molly Nilsson
Prev Title:2020
Prev Year:2018

Extreme is the ninth studio album by Swedish singer-songwriter Molly Nilsson, released on 15 January 2022.

Background

Regarding the album's title, Nilsson gave the following explanation:

Production

After the release of her previous album 2020, Nilsson went through a period of "creative depression". Extreme was then "largely written" in 2019 and "mainly recorded" in 2020.[1]

Themes

Power has been noted as the central topic on Extreme.[2] In the album's promotional material, label Night School Records wrote: "It's a record about power. About how to fight it, how to take it and how to share it."[3]

Promotion

"Absolute Power" was released as the album's first single on 12 October 2021, along with a music video.[4] "Pompeii" was released as the album's second music video on 22 November 2021.[5]

Release

The album was released on vinyl, CD, and as a digital download.[6]

Critical reception

Extreme received critical acclaim.[7] In a positive review, Tim Sendra of AllMusic called Extreme "both Nilsson's most interesting album and a striking reboot", citing her experimentation with "new moods" and "new genres".[8] Jana-Maria Mayer of German Musikexpress characterized the album as a "romantic indictment of the Anthropocene" and praised Nilsson's songwriting.[9]

Sophia McDonald of Loud and Quiet, in a mixed-to-positive review, considered Extreme "an LP that is generally surprising in its trajectory" and noted its "nostalgic fun", but criticized it for a lack of "closeness" and "intimacy" to Nilsson in comparison with earlier works.[10]

The closing track "Pompeii" was highlighted by Raphael Helfand of The Fader as a "happy-sad classic" that serves as a "rallying cry for resilience in the face of impossible odds".[1] The track was also praised by German Musikexpress.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Helfand . Raphael . 18 January 2022 . Molly Nilsson fights the power on Extreme . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220529082613/https://www.thefader.com/2022/01/18/molly-nillson-fights-the-power-on-extreme . 29 May 2022 . 29 September 2023 . The Fader.
  2. Web site: Pop-Hymnen über falsch verteilte Macht: "Extreme" von Molly Nilsson . Möller . Christoph . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220525060827/https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/pop-hymnen-ueber-falsch-verteilte-macht-extreme-von-molly-nilsson-dlf-3d2e1a26-100.html . 15 January 2022. 25 May 2022 . 29 September 2023 . . de.
  3. Web site: Molly Nilsson: Extreme Night School Records . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230710025109/https://nightschoolrecords.com/product/molly-nilsson-extreme/ . 10 July 2023 . 29 September 2023 . en.
  4. Web site: Molly Nilsson reveals new album Extreme, shares "Absolute Power" . Darville . Jordan . 12 October 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220529031638/https://www.thefader.com/2021/10/12/molly-nilsson-reveals-new-album-extreme-shares-absolute-power . 29 May 2022 . 29 September 2023 . . en.
  5. Web site: Molly Nilsson shares new song/video "Pompeii" . Darville . Jordan . 22 November 2021. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211201145736/https://www.thefader.com/2021/11/22/molly-nilsson-pompeii . 1 December 2021 . 29 September 2023 . . en.
  6. Web site: Extreme, by Molly Nilsson . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230716054811/https://mollynilsson.bandcamp.com/album/extreme . 16 July 2023 . 29 September 2023 . Molly Nilsson . en.
  7. Web site: ByteFM - Molly Nilsson . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230929191307/https://www.byte.fm/artists/molly-nilsson/ . September 29, 2023 . 29 September 2023 . ByteFM . de.
  8. Web site: Sendra . . Tim . Extreme Review by Tim Sendra. 29 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230731004519/https://www.allmusic.com/album/extreme-mw0003636582 . live . en . 31 July 2023.
  9. Web site: Mayer . Jana-Maria . 28 January 2022 . de . Review: Molly Nilsson - Extreme . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230317035002/https://www.musikexpress.de/reviews/molly-nilsson-extreme/ . 17 March 2023 . 29 September 2023 . Musikexpress.
  10. Web site: McDonald . Sophia . 10 January 2022 . Molly Nilsson - Extreme - Album Review . 29 September 2023 . . en-US.