Qualm (album)

Qualm is the second studio album by German electronic music DJ and record producer Helena Hauff. It was released on 3 August 2018 by Ninja Tune.[1] The album was critically acclaimed and the track "Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg" was named as one of the best electronic tracks of 2018 by Pitchfork.[2] In comparison to her previous album, Discreet Desires (2015), the tracks on it had more traditional song structure and they were "more poppier."[3]

Qualm
Studio album by
Helena Hauff
Released3 August 2018 (2018-08-03)
Genre
Length56:36
LabelNinja Tune
ProducerHelena Hauff
Helena Hauff chronology
Discreet Desires
(2015)		 Qualm
(2018)		 Living with Ants
(2019)

Production

While creating the album, Hauff used one synthesizer, which was Roland TR-808, and one drum machine.[4][3]

Title

The title has multiple definitions. The German meaning of "qualm" is "smoke" or "fumes", as in English language, it is "an uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear."[5]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.6/10[6]
Metacritic82/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
The A.V. ClubB+[9]
Clash8/10[10]
Financial Times[11]
The Guardian[12]
The Independent[13]
Pitchfork7.8/10[14]
Q[15]
Resident Advisor3.0/5[16]
Uncut7/10[17]

Qualm received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 82, based on 15 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".[7] Philip Sherburne of Pitchfork stated that Qualm is a "spartan mix of techno, acid, EBM, and coldwave".[14] Nathan Wesley of The Line of Best Fit opined that the album is a "nocturnal, adventurous album that sees Hauff take a progressive leap forward from her 2015 debut Discreet Desires."[18] Andrew Moore of Clash remarked that Qualm is a "statement of romantic infatuation amongst an otherwise hash, twisted and raw landscape. A glance into the past and a look to the future."[10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Helena Hauff.

No.TitleLength
1."Barrow Boot Boys"6:04
2."Lifestyle Guru"5:43
3."Btdr-Revisited"3:29
4."Entropy Created You and Me"2:42
5."Fag Butts in the Fire Bucket"4:03
6."Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg"6:03
7."The Smell of Suds and Steel"8:11
8."Primordial Sludge"5:33
9."Qualm"2:33
10."No Qualms"3:22
11."Panegyric"5:19
12."It Was All Fields Around Here When I Was a Kid"3:34

Notes

  • "Btdr-Revisited" is stylised in lowercase letters.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Qualm.[19]

  • Helena Hauff – writing, production, arrangement
  • BüroBrüggmann – design
  • Florian Hammerl – photography

References
  1. @ninjatune (6 July 2018). "Helena Hauff - 'Qualm'. Listen + pre-order new album out August 3" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. Carr, Daphne (13 December 2018). "The Best Electronic Music of 2018". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  3. Rickinson, Steve. "[Interview] Through the Smoke with Helena Hauff". Deep House Amsterdam. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  4. Muggs, Joe (20 July 2018). "Techno star Helena Hauff: 'Every woman who DJs and is visible helps to make a change'". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  5. Thomas, Katie (21 August 2018). "Helena Hauff // Interview". London in Stereo. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  6. "Qualm by Helena Hauff reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  7. "Qualm by Helena Hauff Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  8. Simpson, Paul. "Qualm – Helena Hauff". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  9. Waite, Kelsey J. (3 August 2018). "Helena Hauff, Qualm". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  10. Moore, Andrew (7 August 2018). "Helena Hauff – Qualm". Clash. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  11. Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (3 August 2018). "Helena Hauff: Qualm — abrasive techno". Financial Times. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  12. Martin, Laurel (3 August 2018). "Helena Hauff: Qualm review – zeitgeist DJ bends techno to her will". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  13. O'Connor, Roisin; Shepherd, Jack; Robertson, Derek; Stolworthy, Jacob; Aubrey, Elizabeth (1 August 2018). "Album reviews: Miles Kane, James, Amanda Shires, Mac Miller, Helena Hauff". The Independent. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  14. Sherburne, Philip (3 August 2018). "Helena Hauff: Qualm". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  15. Monroe, Jazz (August 2018). "Helena Hauff: Qualm". Q (388): 111.
  16. Keeling, Ryan (2 August 2018). "Helena Hauff – Qualm". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  17. Richards, Sam (September 2018). "Helena Hauff: Qualm". Uncut (256): 30.
  18. Westley, Nathan (29 July 2018). "Helena Hauff – Qualm". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  19. Qualm (CD liner notes). Helena Hauff. Ninja Tune. 2018. ZEN253.CS1 maint: others (link)
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