{"title":"Astrid Williamson","description":"\u003cp\u003eAstrid Williamson (born 28 November 1968) is a Scottish musician, composer and songwriter. Growing up in Shetland, she enjoyed playing the piano from an early age and The Shetland Folk Festival provided early experience both of local music tradition and stagecraft. She went on to graduate from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) as a classically trained pianist, where she also studied under composer Judith Weir.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAstrid formed the band Goya Dress in the 1990s with Terry De Castro \u0026amp; Simon Pearson, releasing EPs \u0026amp; only one album, Rooms (produced by The Velvet Underground's John Cale) in 1996 before disbanding in 1998.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSince then she has released seven albums to date via her own label, Incarnation Records, Universal, BMG and One Little Independent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDuring her career she has collaborated with other artists including the legendary DJ\/producer, Arthur Baker, Oskar, The Bilderberg Group, Milk \u0026amp; Honey Band, Canadian singer songwriter, Tara Maclean as well as adding vocals to releases from The Hope Blister and British indie supergroup, Electronic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eShe has toured with Brendan Perry, providing keyboards and backing vocals on his 2010 Ark tour. Guitarist \u0026amp; Brian Eno collaborator Leo Abrahams produced her fifth album Pulse in 2011.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAstrid recorded backing vocals for the track 'I Stopped My Car To Fill Up' on 'Performance \u0026amp; Cocktails' by Welsh indie band, The Stereophonics and was reunited with Goya Dress producer, John Cale, for a live performance of his mixed media piece, 'Dead Agents' at the ICA, London in 1999.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe song 'If I Loved You from her debut solo album Boy For You was covered by Abra Moore, retitled 'Someone Else's Mess' and featured in the film 'Serving Sara'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer first large-scale classical composition, Requiem \u0026amp; Gallipoli, was first performed at Hessle All Saints' Church as part of a 2015 D-Day remembrance event, which raised funds for a local Hull veterans' charity and aimed to make people aware of Operation Warrior Wellness, a programme addressing veterans' post-traumatic stress disorder using transcendental meditation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing her involvement as part of Dead Can Dance's 2012-3 touring band she collaborated with the band's Lisa Gerrard, co-writing 'Seven Seas' \u0026amp; 'Neptune' with her and 'Estelita' with Gerrard \u0026amp; Daniel Johns of Silverchair The resulting 2014 album 'Twilight Kingdom' also featured a cover of 'Too Far Gone' penned by Russell Crowe \u0026amp; Alan Doyle which was arranged and performed by Williamson \u0026amp; Gerrard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer musical style is subtle, evocative and original and has been compared to Carole King and Joni Mitchell.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"astrid-williamson-shhh","title":"Astrid Williamson - Shhh...","description":"\u003cp\u003e2006 CD single taken from the album \"Day Of The Lone Wolf\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracklist:\u003cbr\u003e\n1. Shhh...\u003cbr\u003e\n2. True Romance (Live Session)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OLI Records","offers":[{"title":"CD Single","offer_id":48381183852777,"sku":"757TP7CD","price":3.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/files\/ASTRID-SHH.jpg?v=1748987146"},{"product_id":"astrid-williamson-day-of-the-lone-wolf","title":"Astrid Williamson - Day Of The Lone Wolf","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"Day of The Lone Wolf was recorded at Church Road Studios, Hove, with Paul Pascoe engineering and mixing the album. The album was mastered at Abbey Road. Using real piano, strings and drums Day Of The Lone Wolf is a more sonically comprehensive album than its predecessor. Simon Pearson performs on all tracks except True Romance and Reach which were performed by Chris Parsons, who would later, along with Richard Yale (bass), Dan Burke (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals) and Mark Treffel (keyboards), constitute the touring band for Day Of The Lone Wolf. Ruth Gottlieb performs violin and viola and Sarah Wilson performs cello.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinding the business of running an independent label and creating the music to be rereleased overwhelming (and lonely) Astrid licensed Day Of The Lone Wolf to Derek Birkett of One Little Indian Records who had always been a fan of her music originally having offered Goya Dress a deal back in 1994. The title of the album comes from the book 'The Secret Language Of Birthdays' where 28th November (Williamson's own birthday) is called The Day of the Lone Wolf. Gustav Holst's Planet Suite was inspired by his interest in astrology, which he called his 'pet vice'. William Blake is Astrid's astro-twin.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e1. Siamese\u003cbr\u003e2. Superman 2\u003cbr\u003e3. Intro\u003cbr\u003e4. Reach\u003cbr\u003e5. Amarylis\u003cbr\u003e6. True Romance\u003cbr\u003e7. Carlotta\u003cbr\u003e8. Shhhh\u003cbr\u003e9. Tonight\u003cbr\u003e10. Another Twisted Thing\u003cbr\u003e11. Forgive Me\u003cbr\u003e12. Only Heaven Knows (Hidden Track)\u003cbr\u003e13. Work This Hour (US version Bonus Track)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OLI Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":48381185392873,"sku":"TPLP727CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/files\/a4168185973_10.jpg?v=1748987131"},{"product_id":"astrid-williamson-here-come-the-vikings","title":"Astrid Williamson - Here Come The Vikings","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"releasecopy\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere Come The Vikings was recorded at FFG Studios, Bredon, Gloucestershire in late 2008 and released in 2009. Astrid Williamson's fourth album has a more defined rock edge, primarily due to the addition of Steve Parker as lead guitarist after Dan Burke left Astrid's band.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing the singles Shut Your Mouth and Slake. Guy Barker plays trumpet on Eve and Crashing Minis. Mark Treffel plays dulcitone on Eve. The album was produced by Astrid Williamson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Whilst the folky image of acoustic guitars may suit her Shetland roots, the epic and trippy 'Pinned' evokes the violence of the North Sea much more suitably, its Edge-like guitars ricocheting around the song like an Atlantic wave. Overall, it's an album that proves that to label Williamson a folkie is to underestimate the scope and intensity of her talent.\" - \u003cstrong\u003eThe Skinny\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e1. Store\u003cbr\u003e2. Sing The Body Electric\u003cbr\u003e3. Shut Your Mouth\u003cbr\u003e4. How You Take My Breath Away\u003cbr\u003e5. Crashing Minis\u003cbr\u003e6. Falling Down\u003cbr\u003e7. Pinned\u003cbr\u003e8. Slake\u003cbr\u003e9. Eve\u003cbr\u003e10. The Stars Are Beautiful\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"OLI Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":48381202563305,"sku":"TPLP966CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/files\/a1186540690_10.jpg?v=1748987053"},{"product_id":"astrid-williamson-pulse","title":"Astrid Williamson - Pulse","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf Joni Mitchell had looked into the future when she was about to record Blue and absorbed the influence of Talk Talk, it might have sounded like Pulse. Pulse is well named for the fact it's an emotionally charged record, full of highs and lows, and the distances between what we want and what we have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e1. Dance\u003cbr\u003e2. Pour\u003cbr\u003e3. Underwater\u003cbr\u003e4. Cherry\u003cbr\u003e5. Miracle\u003cbr\u003e6. Connected\u003cbr\u003e7. Pulse\u003cbr\u003e8. Husk\u003cbr\u003e9. Reservation\u003cbr\u003e10. Paperbacks\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OLI Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":48381218947305,"sku":"TPLP1093CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/files\/TPLP1093DL-scaled.jpg?v=1748987023"},{"product_id":"astrid-williamson-we-go-to-dream","title":"Astrid Williamson - We Go To Dream","description":"\u003cp\u003eThere is a definite theme of change and reinvention to Astrid Williamson's life since her 2011 album Pulse broke fresh new ground for the singer-songwriter. Following an extended period as a studio collaborator and touring musician with Dead Can Dance, she returns with a brand new album of her own. We Go To Dream, released on 29th July 2015, explores Astrid's need to keep pushing the boundaries of her work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-shop\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"more-less\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrincipally, the album follows three threads. First, what Astrid calls \"the addiction of love,\" often in its unrequited form, of which 'Scattered' is her most heart-aching song ever, \u003cspan id=\"more_36387\"\u003ehere in its original demo form as no subsequent recording could match the vocals' \u003c\/span\u003eintensity. 'My Beautiful Muse', by comparison, is more about a love affair that petered out, \"There is a poignant, gentle sense of loss in that track,\" she feels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title track wonders \"if humanity can ever dream up a better future than rampant capitalism and materialism.\" While lead single, 'Hide In Your Heart' posits an escape into love in the face of humanity's problems - such as those on 'Loaded Like A Gun', \"a protest song, anti-war and pro-feminist,\" she says. \"The divinity we find in humanity gets completely trashed by ideologies. It offends me that we're backtracking on the rights that women fought for a hundred years ago.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third theme is \"the spiritual element inside...trying to find that divine spark in ourselves, because we can't be fulfilled outwardly.\" The results - from beautiful widescreen vistas ('We Go To Dream', 'Hide In Your Heart' and 'Ambienza') to hook-lined dance ('Loaded Like A Gun', 'Say Goodbye', 'Home') and exquisitely bruised ballads ('Scattered', 'Vermillion', 'Captured', 'Saint Saviour') - are typically hard to pigeonhole.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I love diversity,\" says Astrid. \"So that's the kind of music I do. I still like pop music, those big in-your-face choruses....You have to make the album that you want to.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e1. We Go To Dream\u003cbr\u003e2. Loaded Like A Gun\u003cbr\u003e3. Hide In Your Heart\u003cbr\u003e4. Vermillion\u003cbr\u003e5. Ambienza\u003cbr\u003e6. Scattered\u003cbr\u003e7. Say Goodbye\u003cbr\u003e8. Captured\u003cbr\u003e9. Home\u003cbr\u003e10. My Beautiful Muse\u003cbr\u003e11. Saint Saviour\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"OLI Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":48381232840937,"sku":"TPLP1251CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/files\/a1856718570_10.jpg?v=1748986936"},{"product_id":"astrid-williamson-requiem-gallipoli","title":"Astrid Williamson - Requiem \u0026 Gallipoli","description":"\u003cp\u003eAstrid Williamson released classical album Requiem \u0026amp; Gallipoli on Christmas Day 2015 - her first large-scale classical composition. She first performed Requiem \u0026amp; Gallipoli at Hessle All Saints' Church in June as part of a D-Day remembrance event raising funds for a local Hull veteran's charity and also to raise awareness for Operation Warrior Wellness, a process to address post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans by using transcendental meditation, in collaboration with the David Lynch Foundation (a charitable donation from the album's proceeds will also be made).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudying composition and piano at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, including a stint under \u003cspan id=\"more_98048\"\u003ecomposer Judith Weir, Astrid had long-harboured an ambition to create a large-scale classical piece (indeed Sanctus, included here, was written 10 years ago) but had never found the opportunity or funds to dedicate time to complete it. \"Since [previous band] Goya Dress days I always enjoyed writing string and orchestral arrangements - The Brodsky Quartet played on [debut album] Rooms - but I had never attempted a full orchestral arrangement.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Requiem\u003cbr\u003e2. Kyrie\u003cbr\u003e3. Domine Jesu\u003cbr\u003e4. Hostias\u003cbr\u003e5. Sanctus\u003cbr\u003e6. Agnus Dei\u003cbr\u003e7. Libera Me\u003cbr\u003e8. In Paradisium\u003cbr\u003e9. Gallipoli\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OLI Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":48381234938089,"sku":"TPLP1288CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Single Vinyl","offer_id":48381234970857,"sku":"TPLP1288","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/files\/TPLP1288DL-scaled.jpg?v=1748986919"},{"product_id":"astrid-williamson-boy-for-you","title":"Astrid Williamson - Boy For You","description":"\u003cp\u003eBoy For You was recorded in New Orleans in October\/ November of 1997 at Malcolm Burn's Clouet Street studio. Burn had previously worked with Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno on albums including Peter Gabriel's 'Us' and Bob Dylan's 'Oh Mercy'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough intended as the second Goya Dress album with Terry and Simon performing on all the tracks, in the end, due to label pressure, the album was released under Astrid's own name, effectively marking the untimely end of Goya Dress's career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'World At Your Feet' was edited radically and the original version is lost, although Williamson did record a version later. On the track 'Someone' the thunderstorm is real and the dog barking in the background was Burn's pet Alsatian, Vicky. The album was recorded on ADAT. It was mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound in NYC.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'If I Loved You' appeared in the Bill Forsyth film, Gregory's Two Girls, and singer-songwriter Abra Moore performed a cover version which appeared in the movie Serving Sara under the title 'Someone Else's Mess'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracklist:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e1. I Am The Boy For You\u003cbr\u003e2. Everybody's Waiting\u003cbr\u003e3. What Do You ...\u003cbr\u003e4. World At Your Feet\u003cbr\u003e5. Sing For Me\u003cbr\u003e6. Someone\u003cbr\u003e7. Hozanna\u003cbr\u003e8. If I Loved You\u003cbr\u003e9. Outside\u003cbr\u003e10. Say What You Mean\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OLI Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":48381257908457,"sku":"TPLP665CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/files\/0x1900-000000-80-0-0_3.jpg?v=1748986806"},{"product_id":"astrid-williamson-astrid-williamson","title":"Astrid Williamson - Astrid Williamson","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Having left Nude records in late 1999 Astrid set up her own label Incarnation Records, releasing her second solo and eponymously titled album independently in 2002. It was initially released with handmade covers under the title 'Carnation'.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRobert White, formerly of psychedelic rockers Levitation, produced and performs on much of the album which is more acoustically based than previous releases.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTerry Bickers (House Of Love, Levitation) performs lead guitars and harmonica on closing track 'Call For Beauty'. The four bonus tracks were recorded at Mark Treffel's studio in Brighton.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe cover photograph is by Rankin, who had taken it during a shoot for Dazed And Confused during the Boy For You promotional phase. Always supportive, Rankin gave Astrid the photograph as a gift.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eTracklist\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Never Enough\u003cbr\u003e2. Love\u003cbr\u003e3. To Love You\u003cbr\u003e4. Bye \u0026amp; Bye\u003cbr\u003e5. Blood Horizon\u003cbr\u003e6. Calling\u003cbr\u003e7. Girlfriend\u003cbr\u003e8. Tumbling Into Blue\u003cbr\u003e9. Lucky\u003cbr\u003e10. Call For Beauty\u003cbr\u003e11. Superman (Bonus Track)\u003cbr\u003e12. This Is How It's Done Here (Bonus Track)\u003cbr\u003e13. Blood Horizon (Bonus Track)\u003cbr\u003e14. Close My Eyes (Bonus Track)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OLI Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":48381257941225,"sku":"TPLP664CD","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/files\/a0095402709_10.jpg?v=1748986806"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/7984\/3305\/collections\/AW-Square.jpg?v=1745589848","url":"https:\/\/shop.bjork.com\/collections\/astrid-williamson.oembed","provider":"OLI Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}