| History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Molly Nilsson | ||||
| Released | 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14) | |||
| Recorded | 2010–2011 | |||
| Studio | Lighthouse Studios, Berlin | |||
| Genre | Synth-pop | |||
| Length | 41:55 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | Molly Nilsson | |||
| Molly Nilsson chronology | ||||
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| Singles from History | ||||
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History is the fourth studio album by Swedish singer-songwriter Molly Nilsson, released on 14 December 2011. It was Nilsson's final album to be entirely self-released, as she started collaborating with Night School Records afterwards. History has been cited as Nilsson's "breakout" album, including by herself.
Background
Regarding the album's concept and title, Nilsson explained:
Each song tells a story, and together they form a narrative. life weighs more than another, yet not everyone ends up in the history books. I took this opportunity to feel what it's like to hold the pen that writes history.
Release
History was originally self-released through Nilsson's own label Dark Skies Association. The CD version was released on 14 December 2011 and the vinyl version followed in April 2012. In association with Night School Records, History was then released as a digital download on 31 January 2019, while reissues of the CD and vinyl versions followed on 29 March 2019. It was again reissued on vinyl on 29 September 2023.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| Éclat | |
| Pitchfork | 7/10 |
History received positive reviews. Emilie Friedlander of Pitchfork, in a positive review, said that the album is "carried by the commanding, almost Nico-like ominousness of voice". Tim Sendra, writing for AllMusic, praised Nilsson's "wonderfully idiosyncratic music" and noted its emotional impact. In a positive review for German Éclat magazine, Marlena Julia Dorniak described Nilsson's music as "morbid", "melancholic", and "magical".
"I Hope You Die" was positively highlighted as a standout song by several writers. Friedlander noted that it demonstrates the "over-the-topness of Nilsson's aesthetic most forcefully". Sendra praised it for its "heartbreakingly honest" lyrics, while Dorniak commended its combination of a "danceable beat" with "tragically romantic" lyrics. The song also quickly became a "fan favorite".
Track listing
All tracks are written by Molly Nilsson.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "In Real Life" | 4:06 |
| 2. | "You Always Hurt the One You Love" | 3:01 |
| 3. | "I Hope You Die" | 4:28 |
| 4. | "The Bottles of Tomorrow" | 2:03 |
| 5. | "Hiroshima Street" | 3:51 |
| 6. | "Intermezzo: The Party" | 2:55 |
| 7. | "Hotel Home" | 4:49 |
| 8. | "City of Atlantis" | 3:41 |
| 9. | "QWERTY (Censored Version)" | 4:35 |
| 10. | "The Clocks" | 3:31 |
| 11. | "Skybound" | 4:38 |
| Total length: | 41:55 | |
References
- ^ Blair, Ed (24 January 2022). "Where to Start Exploring the Dazzling World of Molly Nilsson". Bandcamp. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- "Hooligan of the Heart Scarf". Dark Skies Association. 30 January 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- Ritchie, Kevin (4 October 2012). "Molly Nilsson - Press-shy Swedish songwriter opens up". Now. Archived from the original on 2017-10-01. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- "Molly Nilsson - History (2011, CDr)". Discogs. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- "Molly Nilsson - History (2012, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- "Molly Nilsson - History (2019, File)". Discogs. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- "Molly Nilsson - History (2019, CD)". Discogs. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- "History: LP - Dark Skies Association". Dark Skies Association. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- ^ Sendra, Tim. "History Review by Tim Sendra". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
- ^ Dorniak, Marlena Julia (27 April 2012). "Molly Nilsson - History - Rezension des Musikmagazins éclat". Éclat (in German). Retrieved 2 October 2023.
- ^ Friedlander, Emilie (17 April 2012). "Molly Nilsson: History Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 October 2023.