PULSE
ONE LITTLE INDIAN
****

Chilling beauty from former Goya Dress vocalist
Where Williamson’s previous work has tended towards crafted alt.rock with a serrated edge, the Shetlander’s collaboration with sometime Eno sidekick Leo Abrahams inhabits altogether sparser terrain. Dropping the temperature by several degrees and placing her (many) voices front and centre, Williamson makes inventive use of rhythm and space. The ominous “Dance” fuses the electronic and the elemental, while “Paperbacks” sounds like the Blue Nile at their most skeletal backing Joni before the cigarettes took hold. Like the rest of this bold album, it’s as beautiful as it is unsettling.
Graeme Thomson

Inspired by seeing ambient artist Leo Abrahams perform as part of Brian Eno’s Pure Scenius project at the 2010 Brighton Festival, Astrid Williamson teamed up with anonymous Brixton DJ and producer Ph0t0machine to record ‘Pour’ from her latest album ‘Pulse’ (produced by Abrahams). Here, the faceless sonic engineer takes the trip-hop etherealism of the original and converts it to the portentous sounds of the UK’s club scene, bouncing into the shadows of the dance floor.

Here’s the Raffertie Remix:

And this is what The Musical Chairs had to say:
http://themusicalchairs.com/2011/08/02/watch-astrid-williamson-pour-raffertie-remix/

One of the albums I’m currently listening to for review at the moment is Pulse by Astrid Williamson. It’s a truly wonderful record by an artist who is very much willing to experiment massively with her sound – it sounds like what would happen if a singer/songwriter made an LP in the style of Third by Portishead, which is no bad thing. This is a remix of the lead single, Pour, that would in no way prepare you for what the album has in store but it is a very solid re-working of a very good track.

I will be joining Brendan Perry(EX Dead Can Dance) as part of his band on the ARK tour, singing and playing keyboards. Exciting. :-)
Astrid

ps. I’m not playing any of my songs, just to be clear…..

Here’s just a taster:

Her voice is in cracking form, easily driving more upbeat numbers like “Shhh…” or “Hozanna”, but the gentler songs really shine: “Only Heaven Knows” the unlisted track at the end of “Day of the Lone Wolf” album, is wistful and brooding and perfect, as is the beautiful “Eve” from her latest album, “Here Come the Vikings”.

Now removed!

Photos courtesy of National Geographic.

Visit Astrid’s new YouTube Channel Astridnaughts.

21 February: Glee Club, Birmingham

22 February: Komedia, Brighton

23 February: The Tunnels, Bristol

24 February: Electroacoustic Club, London

1 March: Band On The Wall, Manchester

2 March: King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow

3 March: Live Theatre, Newcastle

6 March: Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London