Crumbling (album)
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Crumbling
| type = studio
| artist = Mid-Air Thief
| cover = Mid-Air Thief Crumbling Cover.png
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2018|7|31}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Folktronica{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/3133453/mid-air-thief-interview-crumbling/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802013540/http://www.mtv.com/news/3133453/mid-air-thief-interview-crumbling/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 2, 2019 |title=Mid-Air Thief Made A Beloved, Award Winning Album And Still Hasn't Shown His Face |last=Enis |first=Eli |publisher=MTV |date=January 8, 2019 |access-date=October 3, 2019}}
| length = {{Duration|m=44|s=04}}
| language = {{flatlist|
- Korean
- English}}
| label = Self-released
| producer = Mid-Air Thief
| prev_title = Gongjoong Doduk
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Flood Format
| next_year = 2022
}}
Crumbling ({{Korean|무너지기|rr=Muneojigi}}) is the second studio album by South Korean folktronica artist Mid-Air Thief. The album features vocals by South Korean indie singer-songwriter Summer Soul.{{cite web |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/chocolate-grinder/listen-gongjungdodug-mid-air-thief-muneojigi |title=공중도둑 (Mid-Air Thief) - 무너지기 {{!}} LISTEN |date=September 21, 2018 |author=Reggie MT |publisher=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=July 19, 2019}} It was released on July 31, 2018. It was nominated at the Korean Music Awards in 2019 in the categories "Album of the Year" and "Best Dance & Electronic Album" and won the latter.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/5110538 |title=BTS, 한국대중음악상 '올해의 음악인' 수상… "상 의미 잘 안다" |last=Kim |first=Su-jeong|date=February 27, 2019 |website=No Cut News |language=ko |access-date=September 26, 2019}}
Background
The album gained attention from online music communities such as Album of The Year and Rate Your Music,{{cite web|first1=Sayan|last1=Ghosh|title=Sayan Ghosh: Mid-Air Thief accrues online following|url=https://www.michigandaily.com/section/arts/sayan-ghosh-mid-air-thief|work=The Michigan Daily|publisher=University of Michigan|date=21 October 2018|accessdate=15 April 2019}} where on the former, it is currently the 3rd highest-rated album of 2018 and on the latter, the 4th highest.{{cite web|author=|date=|title=Top Albums of 2018 - Rate Your Music|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/2018|url-status=live|work=Rate Your Music|publisher=Sonemic, Inc.|accessdate=20 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229050025/https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/2018/ |archive-date=December 29, 2021 }}{{Cite web |title=Best Albums of 2018 by User Score |url=https://www.albumoftheyear.org/ratings/user-highest-rated/2018/ |website=Album of The Year}}
Release
Crumbling was released independently in South Korea on July 31, 2018{{cite web |url=https://www.melon.com/album/detail.htm?albumId=10189704 |title=앨범 정보 > 공중도둑 – 무너지기 |publisher=Melon |date=July 31, 2018 |access-date=December 28, 2018}} and in United States on August 7, 2018.{{cite web |url=https://midairthief.bandcamp.com/album/crumbling |title=무너지기 (Crumbling) {{!}} 공중도둑 (Mid-Air Thief) |publisher=Mid-Air Thief |website=Bandcamp |date= |access-date=July 19, 2019}} It was released in Japan on December 4, 2018 by Botanical House.{{cite web |url=https://botanicalhouse.bandcamp.com/album/crumbling-2 |title=Crumbling {{!}} Botanical House |website=Bandcamp |date= |access-date=July 23, 2019}} The album was reissued on September 20, 2019 by Topshelf Records.{{cite web|author=Topshelf Records|title=Mid-Air Thief - Crumbling|url=http://www.topshelfrecords.com/products/645044-mid-air-thief-crumbling|work=Topshelf Records|date=|accessdate=17 June 2019}}
Critical reception
Weiv described Crumbling as "the power of faint sounds."[http://www.weiv.co.kr/archives/23797 공중도둑 – 무너지기 (2018)]. Weiv (September 23, 2018). Retrieved December 28, 2018. Reggie MT of Tiny Mix Tapes declared that the album is "much like its spiritual predecessor, alternately chillaxed and maximalist, calming and rousing." It ranked on Pretty Much Amazing's 2018: Year in Review list at number 22, while the writer stated that "at first listen, Mid-Air Thief sounds like a Grizzly Bear clone, but upon further listening, this is pacific island pop you didn't know you wanted."{{cite web |url=https://prettymuchamazing.com/features/best-albums-2018 |title=Pretty Much Amazing's 2018: Year in Review {{!}} Albums of the Year |publisher=Pretty Much Amazing |date=January 4, 2019 |access-date=September 25, 2019 |archive-date=November 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107233625/https://prettymuchamazing.com/features/best-albums-2018/ |url-status=dead }}
Track listing
All lyrics written by Mid-Air Thief and Summer Soul; all music written by Mid-Air Thief.
{{Track listing
| title1 = Why?
| note1 = "왜?"
| length1 = 4:41
| title2 = Ahhhh, These Chains!
| note2 = "쇠사슬"
| length2 = 5:07
| title3 = Gameun Deut
| note3 = "감은 듯"
| length3 = 5:03
| title4 = Curve and Light
| note4 = "곡선과 투과광"
| length4 = 4:20
| title5 = Crumbling Together
| note5 = "함께 무너지기"
| length5 = 9:38
| title6 = Protector
| note6 = "수호자"
| length6 = 5:22
| title7 = Dirt
| note7 = "흙"
| length7 = 6:21
| title8 = No Answer
| note8 = "무소식"
| length8 = 3:32
}}
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Crumbling.{{cite AV media notes|title=Crumbling|others=Mid-Air Thief|type=liner notes|year=2018}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Musicians=
- Mid-Air Thief – instruments, music
- Summer Soul – backing vocals
- Ko Jae-Hyun – instruments
{{col-2}}
=Artwork=
- Shin Hye-Jung – artwork
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Mid-Air Thief}}
{{Authority control}}