Hen Ogledd - DISCOMBOBULATED (2026)
I like the intent more than the execution. DISCOMBOBULATED has a strong conceptual spine — it wants to fracture folk, twist melody, destabilize form — and I respect how committed it is to that disorientation. The textures are distinctive, the writing is clearly deliberate, and there’s real personality in the arrangements.
But over the course of the album, the constant angular pivots start to dilute the impact. Instead of building tension and releasing it, the songs often reset themselves just as they begin to cohere. I’m engaged, sometimes impressed, occasionally amused — but not fully immersed. It feels clever and constructed, yet emotionally partial. Solid, interesting, but not something I sink into deeply.
Pros
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Clear artistic identity – It never feels generic; the eccentricity is authored and purposeful.
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Inventive arrangements – Off-kilter folk instrumentation and structural turns keep the record unpredictable.
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Strong compositional control – Even the chaos feels written rather than accidental.
Cons
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Limited emotional gravity – The theatrical or absurdist tone creates distance.
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Fragmented momentum – Songs often pivot before achieving real payoff.
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Replay value is selective – More intellectually engaging than viscerally compelling.
Genre: Art Folk
Country: UK
Final Verdict: 68% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 18th / 167
Highlight: End of the rhythm
Made me think of:
Lankum
Joanna Newsom
Black Country, New Road
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