Track Of The Day: A.A. Williams – ‘The Echo’

A heavy lament that explores the push-and-pull relationship between the heart and the head, London-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist A.A. Williams has shared her latest single ‘The Echo’. Taken from her upcoming second album, As The Moon Rests, which is set for release on 7th October via Bella Union, the track is a powerful blend of Williams’ bittersweet vocals and trademark cathartic drop ins.

“’The Echo’ is a dialogue between a person’s heart and the head,” Williams explains about her new single. “the head [is] trying to persuade the heart that what they need is to take time for themselves and prioritise their own well-being, not seek verification of one’s worth through their relationships with others.”

Originally named ‘Forever Blue’ – which is also the title of her debut album – Williams’ has re-worked ‘The Echo’ into a song of “yearning, sorrow and beauty.” These sentiments are reflected in the track’s accompanying video, directed by Fraser West. The visuals follow a young man on his journey through London during the night, encountering strangers and seeking connection in unexpected places.

Following on from her previous singles ‘Evaporate’ and ‘Golden’, ‘The Echo’ continues to spotlight Williams’ intuitive talent for creating captivating, enthralling music. She will be performing tracks from her upcoming album As The Moon Rests with her band and a full string quartet at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall this Saturday (17th September). You can grab a ticket here.

Watch the video for ‘The Echo’ below.

A.A. Williams’ UK Tour Dates 2022
Saturday 17th September – London – Queen Elizabeth Hall
Saturday 12th November – Glasgow – The Great Eastern
Sunday 13th November – Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
Monday 14th November – Milton Keynes – Craufurd Arms
Tuesday 15th November – Birmingham – Hare & Hounds
Wednesday 16th November – Cardiff – Clwb Ifor Bach
Thursday 17th November – Falmouth – The Cornish Bank
Friday 18th November – Bristol – Thekla

Follow A.A. Williams on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Thomas Williams

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: A.A. Williams – ‘Evaporate’

A heavy, graceful musing on the darker side of the emotional spectrum, London-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist A.A. Williams has shared her latest single ‘Evaporate’. Taken from her upcoming second album, As The Moon Rests, which is set for release on 7th October via Bella Union, the track is a brooding blend of dramatic volume fluctuations and Williams’ effortless vocals, which mirror the raw sensitivity of her introspective lyrics.

Following on from her exquisite debut album Forever Blue (2020) and her lockdown inspired covers EP Songs From Isolation (2021), A.A. Williams’ second album looks set to be another stunning collection of cinematic, intense sounds. “Traditionally, your second album is the worry; where there’s the weight of expectation,” Williams comments, “but I must create music I like myself, and I’ve had more time on this record; I’ve felt more confidence and conviction. As The Moon Rests is both heavier and softer, there’s more texture and weight, and a string ensemble. It’s Forever Blue times ten!”

‘Evaporate’ is the first hint at what’s to come from the new record, and it’s a poetic, heavy rumination on the overwhelming nature of ones inner thoughts when they’re eventually  brought to the surface. Williams prefers not to be prescriptive about the exact emotions that inform her tempestuous tracks, allowing her listeners to extrapolate on their own terms. “It’s all part of an overriding arc,” she explains about her music. “With hindsight, some songs I figure things out, others I disappear into a hole. For example, in ‘Evaporate’, I’m trying to keep a lid on fizzy complicated thoughts, which just explode. Other times, I’m more relaxed. Mostly, writing is more retrospective, not about the here and now. The lyrics are the place where I figure things out.”

Williams’ intuition for writing elusive, tender lyrics alongside powerful, instinctive volume shifts is what makes listening to her music so enthralling. Accompanied by a monochrome video directed by Fraser West, ‘Evaporate’ is a dramatic, urgent return to form for A.A. Williams who looks set to be at the top of our ‘Albums of 2022’ list already.

Watch the video for ‘Evaporate’ below.

Follow A.A. Williams on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Thomas Williams

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LIVE: A.A. Williams – Lafayette, London 04.03.22

After two years of re-scheduling show dates and a tentative return to live music across the UK, London-based songwriter A.A. Williams delivered a stunning performance that showcased her heavy sound in all its glory at Lafayette last night.

A classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Williams’ blending of post-rock and post-classical elements has a hypnotising quality, one that was clearly appreciated by her silent crowd. It’s rare to hear a venue so quiet between songs, but Williams congregation remained devotedly still throughout her set.

Performing songs from her debut album Forever Blue, which she released in 2020, Williams opened the show with an exquisite rendition of ‘All I Asked For (Was To End It All)’. Her soft vocals floated above beguiling keys before heavy riffs and percussion broke the spell and dominated the track’s closing minute. What’s obvious throughout the set is Williams’ and her bandmate’s impressive instinct for volume fluctuation. Her balancing between loud and quiet is the lifeblood of Forever Blue, and it’s something that translates beautifully into a live setting.

Suited in black and playing her guitar in the spotlight, Williams cut a calm and captivating figure, enhanced by her ability to switch from a fragile-sounding exhale of words to a powerful extended vocal. Her voice was occasionally lost in the flood of heavy, feverish sound, but in the moments where it did cut through, it made for intense and cathartic listening, effortlessly elevating the rapturous mood.

It’s hard to pick standout tracks from the set, as Williams’ performance had a whole, defined, cinematic quality to it. Her poignant renditions of ‘Dirt’, ‘Fearless’ and the emotionally raw ‘I’m Fine’ made listeners hold their collective breath, but closing her set with ‘Melt’ was undoubtedly a highlight. The smouldering, brooding track was stripped of its more melancholic feel once the blitz-like volume change kicked in, once again displaying Williams’ and her bandmate’s instincts for intricately cauterizing the ear drums.

Taking time to thank her fans between songs and genuinely appreciative of their applause at the end of the show, A.A. Williams provided an aural tonic of intense, beautifully executed sound at Lafayette, proving that the two year wait to hear her poetic ruminations on Forever Blue was well and truly worth it.

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Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: A.A. Williams – ‘Lovesong’ (The Cure cover)

A tentative, beautifully stripped back version of an 80s alternative classic, London-based artist A.A. Williams has shared her cover of The Cure’s ‘Lovesong’. It’s another exquisite offering from the songwriter’s ‘Songs From Isolation’ series, which she’ll be releasing as a 9 track LP via Bella Union on 12th February 2021.

Williams spoke to us about her ‘Songs From Isolation’ series earlier this year ahead of the release of her debut album, Forever Blue (read the full interview here). Having received such high praise for both recording projects, she’s now taking the covers that fans originally suggested to her and releasing her home recordings on vinyl. The Songs From Isolation album will feature Williams’ covers of tracks by The Cure, Pixies, Deftones, Nick Cave, Gordon Lightfoot, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and more.

“’Lovesong’ was one of the first songs suggested by fans for the Songs From Isolation series, and was one of my favourites to rework,” Williams explains about her new release. “The original conjures up such nostalgic feelings, I really wanted to honour as many of elements of it as possible. The lyrics are so beautiful and tender and I wanted to shine a light on them in this version, so I’ve tried to create a delicate backdrop for them out of the melodic elements of The Cure’s original.”

With this latest release, Williams continues to impress fans and critic alike with her sensitive balancing of staying true to the original track she’s covering, whilst also shining a new light on how it can be experienced and enjoyed.

Listen to ‘Lovesong’ below.

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Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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