Innocence Is Kinky
Jenny Hval · 2013
41 min · 11 tracks · avant-garde music
A surreal blend of avant-garde textures and haunting vocals that challenge the boundaries of pop and experimental music.
Top tracks — play these first
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Innocence Is Kinky — The title track encapsulates the album's exploration of the complexities of innocence and experience, setting the tone with its provocative lyrics and haunting melodies.
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Oslo Oedipus — This track stands out with its unique blend of spoken word and ethereal sounds, challenging listeners to confront psychological themes through a contemporary lens.
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Death of the Author — This song represents a critical commentary on authorship and interpretation, featuring layered vocals that create an intimate yet disorienting listening experience.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Hval's innovative blend of narrative and sound creates a distinct avant-garde experience that rewards multiple listens.
What we noticed
- The opening track features layered vocal harmonies that gradually introduce dissonant instrumental textures, setting a surreal tone.
- Several tracks incorporate spoken word elements alongside singing, creating a dialogue between narrative and melody.
- The album frequently shifts dynamics, with abrupt transitions from quiet, introspective moments to louder, chaotic sections.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo reflective journey
- intimate vocal explorations of identity
- hauntingly poetic soundscapes
- thoughtful contemplation in solitude
Maybe skip if you
- prefer upbeat instant gratification
- seek straightforward structures
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Innocence Is Kinky is Jenny Hval's third studio album, released in January 2013 following her critically acclaimed album, Viscera. At this point, Hval was solidifying her reputation as a unique voice in avant-garde music, exploring themes of identity and sexuality with increasing depth and complexity.
- Stylistic neighbors
- FKA twigs· Arca· Sharon Van Etten
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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I Got No Strings
The narrative shifts from playful to confessional, revealing deeper insecurities about freedom and attachment.
This shift in tone exposes the contradiction between perceived liberation and underlying vulnerability, effectively deepening the emotional weight of the track.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Innocence Is Kinky 4:26
- 2 Mephisto in the Water 4:03
- 3 I Called 3:24
- 4 Oslo Oedipus 2:42
- 5 Renée Falconetti of Orléans 4:29
- 6 Give Me That Sound 2:08
- 7 I Got No Strings 5:22
- 8 Is There Anything on Me That Doesn’t Speak? 3:41
- 9 Amphibious, Androgynous 4:36
- 10 Death of the Author 3:35
- 11 The Seer 3:26
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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