Label: One Little Indians
Review by Warren Mayocchi
“We Go to Dream” is an apt name for the latest album from Astrid Williamson because it has a constantly changing musical environment. Her last album was released in 2011 and she has been working with Dead Can Dance in the interim. Influences from this period have made it onto this album – most obviously in collaborations with James Orr whom Astrid met while touring. This album transitions through many sounds: dreamy vocals, piano tracks and electronic pop. In terms of other artists, this is an album that ranges from the sound of Leonard Cohen‘s “Famous Blue Raincoat” to Eighties synthpop, to the elegance of Goldfrapp.
“Saint Saviour” has a music video, though you will not be able to hear the diversity of music in this simple piano song, it does give you an idea of Astrid‘s voice – expressive with a whimsical tone. “Hide in Your Heart” was the first music video from the album and contains a further demonstration of Astrid‘s vocal style this time with laid back electronic backing. She covers the vocals across the range of music here with effortless beauty. My favorite songs demonstrate the various moods of the album: “Vermillion” is an evocative soundscape, “Scattered” is an emotional conversation with piano, “Say Goodbye” is insistent pop. “Home” combines the diverse musical moods rather well and is arguably the best of the album.
“We Go to Dream” is an album with some truly great songs. Astrid creates a consistency across the tracks with the depth of expression in her voice. If I am to pick the theme of this album it may be one of reflective thought – as if you are reviewing aspects of life within a meditative state. There is a variety in the accompanying music across the album that deserves credit, it is rare for styles to be blended as well as they are here.
Rating – 82/100
Tracklist
- we go to dream
- loaded like a gun
- hide in your heart
- vermillion
- ambienza
- scattered
- say goodbye
- captured
- home
- beautiful muse
- saint saviours