Margiiela expands his self-made universe on Hall Ala
Saturday 7th November 2026 on 08:15 in
Estonia
Margiiela builds on the world of his previous album with Hall Ala, a 49-minute record that explores loneliness and complicated relationships. ERR’s Neit-Eerik Nestor rates the album 7 out of 10.
Hall Ala is Margiiela’s second solo album, though its length makes it feel like his first full-length release. At 49 minutes, it is two and a half times longer than last year’s 19-minute Ilus päev surra. That shorter album felt complete in its own right, but the new record brings different challenges, which Margiiela ultimately meets.
The earlier album established the rules, atmosphere and contrasts of Margiiela’s own universe. On Hall Ala, he fills it with stories, characters and emotions, introducing tensions and intrigue centred largely on loneliness and unhappy or complicated love and relationships.
The album moves from a hazy darkness into a recognisable but surreal world of windy, empty streets, skyscrapers, snow and fog. Strange figures move through it in huge furry coats and Bionicle masks. Behind both its abrupt and quieter episodes lies a persistent pain and sadness. Margiiela also reveals a darker side of himself, sometimes taking on the dimensions of a villain.
Although rap is probably the closest label for the album, Nestor argues that it is too narrow. The record includes some of Margiiela’s most straightforward hip-hop tracks in recent years, but “Vastamata kõned,” featuring Chillin and Lil Till, can also be heard as a piano ballad from the album’s tech-noir universe.
The opening tracks make the album’s contemporary hip-hop roots clear. “Kõige Külmem Aasta” recalls a Drake intro, “September” evokes Kanye at his most adventurous, and “Polizei” is a clear nod to Playboi Carti. Travis Scott’s influence also runs throughout.
Like Scott and Kanye, Margiiela draws on cinematic scale and brings together different voices and sounds without making them feel out of place in his world. Alika and the young vocal acrobat Metr0 both appear on the same album, a pairing Nestor calls an entertaining achievement.
Released by Legendaarne Records.