IC-01 Hanoi
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox album
| name = IC-01 Hanoi
| type = studio
| cover = UnknownMortalOrchestraIC-01Hanoi.png
| artist = Unknown Mortal Orchestra
| released = {{Start date|2018|10|26|df=yes}}
| recorded = 2017
| studio = Phù Sa (Hanoi, Vietnam)
| genre =
| length = {{duration|m=28|s=14}}
| label = Jagjaguwar
| producer =
| prev_title = Sex & Food
| prev_year = 2018
| next_title = V
| next_year = 2023
| misc =
{{Extra chronology
| artist = Unknown Mortal Orchestra instrumental albums
| type = studio
| title = IC-01 Hanoi
| year = 2018
| next_title = IC-02 Bogotá
| next_year = 2025
}}{{Singles
| name = IC-01 Hanoi
| type = studio
| single1 = Hanoi 6
| single1date = 25 September 2018
}}
}}
IC-01 Hanoi is the first instrumental album by New Zealand band Unknown Mortal Orchestra, released on 26 October 2018 through Jagjaguwar.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/unknown-mortal-orchestra-announce-new-album-ic-01-hanoi-share-new-song-listen/|title=Unknown Mortal Orchestra Announce New Album IC-01 Hanoi, Share New Song: Listen|work=Pitchfork|last=Blais-Billie|first=Braudie|date=25 September 2018|accessdate=26 September 2018}} It is the group's second album of 2018 after Sex & Food, released in April, and their first instrumental album. The album was recorded entirely in the city of Hanoi, Vietnam, and originated from sessions for Sex & Food,{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/unknown-mortal-orchestra-announce-instrumental-album-ic-01-hanoi|title=Unknown Mortal Orchestra Announce Instrumental Album 'IC-01 Hanoi' {{!}} News|work=Clash|last=Murray|first=Robin|date=25 September 2018|accessdate=26 September 2018}} with frontman Ruban Nielson's father, Chris Nielson, also contributing instrumentation to the record.
The first single, the nearly 10-minute ambient and freeform "Hanoi 6", was released on 25 September 2018.{{cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/09/unknown-mortal-orchestra-announce-new-album-ic-01-hanoi-share-hanoi-6-stream/|title=Unknown Mortal Orchestra announce new album, IC-01 Hanoi, share 'Hanoi 6': Stream|work=Consequence of Sound|last=Worthington|first=Clint|date=25 September 2018|accessdate=26 September 2018}} The album was promoted by a series of shows across Europe and the UK,{{cite web|url=http://diymag.com/2018/09/25/unknown-mortal-orchestra-instrumental-album-ic-01-hanoi|title=Unknown Mortal Orchestra announce instrumental album 'IC-01 Hanoi' {{!}} News|work=DIY|date=25 September 2018|accessdate=26 September 2018}} as well as Asia and several in Mexico.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2015972/unknown-mortal-orchestra-hanoi-6/music/|title=Unknown Mortal Orchestra – "Hanoi 6"|work=Stereogum|last=Rettig|first=James|date=25 September 2018|accessdate=26 September 2018}} It was followed by IC-02 Bogotá in 2025.{{Cite web |last=Chelosky |first=Danielle |date=5 February 2025 |title=Unknown Mortal Orchestra Announce New Album 'IC-02 Bogotá': Hear "Earth 1" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2295704/unknown-mortal-orchestra-earth-1/music/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |website=Stereogum}}
Music
The album has been described as a "sonic distillation of the band's influences in Jazz, Krautrock and the avant garde", as well as experimental jazz. It was influenced by the works of Miles Davis.
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| MC = 66/100{{cite web |title=IC-01 Hanoi by Unknown Mortal Orchestra Reviews and Tracks |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/ic-01-hanoi/unknown-mortal-orchestra |website=Metacritic |accessdate=7 November 2018}}
| rev1 = The Line of Best Fit
| rev1score = 7.5/10{{Cite web |last=Platt |first=John |date=31 October 2018 |title=Unknown Mortal Orchestra explore pastures new on IC-01 Hanoi |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/unknown-mortal-orchestra-ic-01-hanoi-album-review |access-date=29 March 2025 |website=The Line of Best Fit}}
| rev2 = Pitchfork
| rev2score = 6.5/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/unknown-mortal-orchestra-ic-01-hanoi/|title=Unknown Mortal Orchestra: IC-01 Hanoi Album Review|work=Pitchfork|last=Beta|first=Andy|date=2 October 2018|accessdate=5 November 2018}}
}}
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, IC-01 Hanoi received an average score of 66, based on eight reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Reviewing the album for Pitchfork, Andy Beta felt that "Ruban Nielson throws off his habitually weighty themes and digs into a refreshingly raw, heady session of psychedelic rock", also saying that the album "presents a visceral, smoky, casual session that cooks together fairly tumultuous moods over the course of its concise runtime".
Track listing
{{Track listing
| title1 = Hanoi 1
| length1 = 1:20
| title2 = Hanoi 2
| length2 = 5:12
| title3 = Hanoi 3
| length3 = 2:22
| title4 = Hanoi 4
| length4 = 3:48
| title5 = Hanoi 5
| length5 = 2:30
| title6 = Hanoi 6
| length6 = 9:48
| title7 = Hanoi 7
| length7 = 3:14
| total_length = 28:14
}}
Personnel
- Ruban Nielson – guitar
- Kody Nielson – drums
- Jake Portrait – bass
- Chris Nielson – saxophone, flugelhorn, keyboards
- Minh Nguyen – đàn môi, sáo mèo, trống thanh
Technical
- Jake Portrait – engineer
- Kody Nielson – engineer
- Vu Pham – engineer, recording
- Ruban Nielson – mixing
- JJ at Golden Mastering – mastering