Reviews 2066

This is an achingly lovely record, set simply for voice and piano, full of stark, minimalist, slightly cosmic compositions that hang like fairy lights around Susanna Wallumrød´s gorgeous voice, by day the frontwoman of dreamy Norwegian band Susanna and the Magical Orchestra. Images of lost lovers and approaching seasons tow us between the feelings of sorrow and expectation, and each low, soft, baby grand bassline strenghtens the record´s gravitational pull.
The Word (UK)

Continuing the slow-burn intensity of the Magical Orchestra context, Wallumrød creates a little gem of an album. "Demon Dance", "Born In The Desert" are typical of the hushed, reflective and melancholy musical world she inhabits. Not one for grand proclamations, these understated songs of clarity and quiet intensity yield different meanings each time you listen to them.
Jazzwise (UK)

This latest offering tears at the heart strings once more, positioning Wallumrød somewhere between Bjørk and Joni Mitchell. In the current climate of bland female songstresses, Wallumrød stands out as the rel deal.
Flux (UK)

Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmo is a personal album filled with precious thoughts and inner conflicts. Each lyric has been carefully thought through and Susanna sings pensively as if whispering treasured lyrics. Susanna is the sister of Christian Wallumrød (ECM-signed Norwegian pianist who also plays on the album), and is mostly known for her successful concerts with the Magical Orchestra. The air of mystery and a touch of fantasy in the title of her album and its first track "Intruder" bring to mind Bjork, but Susanna's voice is warmer, more folk-like and mellow, and she holds her words closely to herself, making the songs a lot more intimate. The track "Hangout" is a seamless masterpiece with an effective harp accompaniment.
Unknown Public (UK)

"Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos" recalls the pallid minimalism of Low and Nico. There are subtle embellishments of piano, mellotron, double bass and slide guitar, but this could be music to chill the shores of an Ingmar Bergman film.
Uncut (UK)

Based around her clear, pure voice and negligible keyboard backing, colored by touches of harp, mellotron and guitar, the chiming guitar of the lilting "Better Days" is about as upbeat as it gets. Sublime and captivating. 4/5.
What's On In Birmingham (UK)

All of which is to say it is quite beautiful. Begin with "Stay" and see if you can resist. You may be solo, but the magic´s still there.
Leeds Guide (UK)

Like a modern day Nico, she coerces us into emotional involvement while forever remaining coolly detached. The majestic "Stay" and "Better Days", built around the hypnotic arpeggios of Øystein Greni's guitar, are sublime in their expressions of sadness. The sparsest of accompamiment. a piano chord here and a strum of harp there, only heightens the tension of her words. If Wallumrød's songcraft requires a little spit and polish, it is only so the beauty of her voice can be better served.
The Wire (UK)

A quite lovely and haunting piece ... the album floats on a bed of emotion.
Record Collector (UK)

A voice reaches us from Norway like a landscape. With her solo debut “Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos”, Susanna has made a visible stake in the quicksand of contemporary female jazz singing: uncompromising, clear and unusually mature for a singer and composer just 27 years old. Far from all the fashionable banter, the sister of pianist Christian Wallumrød, who can also be heard here as a guest, has recorded a consistently calm, perfectly instrumented album, which is carried by the melancholy of a voice that not only sings, but sometimes with autistic concentration paints entire landscapes. A discovery.
Jazzpodium (DE)

The singer, musician and songwriter Susanna, who has so far been listening with her “Magical Orchestra”, is also great. Now the Norwegian comes along with her solo debut, a quiet, slow record that is very much in the center of the soul. "Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos" combines poetic and haunting vocals with economical but very effective instrumentation. Beautiful.
Bauer newspaper house (DE)

This 27-year-old Norwegian has specialized in silent lamentations. So far she caused a sensation with radically beautiful cover versions ("Love Will Tear Us Apart") with her Magical Orchestra. On her solo debut she breathes her own Tristesse Deluxe songs for piano, guitars and harps: the perfect music for dark Nordic nights.
KulturSPIEGEL (DE)

The pieces unfold a very calm, intense, sometimes almost melancholic mood. People sing about longings, injuries and life as an outsider. So if you are looking for a soundtrack for the dark season, you should grab a cup of tea and some pastries to listen to Susanna's clear voice.
Ox-Fanzine (DE)