“A force to be reckoned with” – Electronic Sound
“On par with neo-classical giants Nils Frahm, Max Richter and Hauschka” – MOJO
“Poppy Ackroyd can conjure whole worlds of sound out of the barest essentials” – Stereogum In 2021, Poppy Ackroyd returned with her fourth full length album 'Pause' which saw acclaim from the likes of The Times, Stereogum, Clash Magazine, The Line Of Best Fit, The Arts Desk, The Independent, Composer Magazine and more, praising the album’s intimacy and its effectiveness as a representation of the time it was written. She followed it with a four track EP of gorgeous reworks where she built layers of interactive melodies and countermelodies, as well as percussive elements from the piano, to put emphasis on the dramatic tension of her soundscapes and further the narratives of her sonic adventures.
On July 14th, she’ll release a series of reworks by some of the most innovative modern composition artists working today, including Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres, Hinako Omori, Anne Müller and more. The first of which is the startling new version of ‘Stillness’ by Hamilton-Ayres. The epic slow-build features glistening additional synths and padded beats, with lustrous, widescreen strings that impose a layer of tension over the piece and stretch themselves out over the final minute.
Alexandra said; “I was drawn to working on Stillness where Poppy plays around with suspense of rhythms, and I wanted to push that more into something cinematic with soaring strings and sparkling synths that fly over the percussive parts and around the listener where we still feel the stillness between the notes. These elements have moments apart and together combining in unity for the last climax as the strings climb.”
Poppy continues; “This is such a beautiful remix of Stillness from Alex. Keeping the essence of the original track she has added her own world and taken it somewhere new. The contrast between the stripped back percussive middle section and what follows is really lovely. For the final sections, where her string and synth layers build, you can really feel both of our sound worlds mixing together and complementing each other. I love it.”
Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres is an award-winning film composer, multi-instrumentalist and performing artist. Her critically acclaimed work blends sound worlds with her love for the piano, orchestrated into a rich palette of electronica and classical music described by BBC Radio 6 Mary Anne Hobbs as “hauntingly beautiful”.
Poppy Ackroyd is a performer, composer and producer from London, currently based in Brighton. Classically trained on piano and violin, she fell in love with the piano beyond the keyboard, discovering the world of sound that can be made from other parts of the instrument. As well as conventional playing styles she employs extended techniques, utilizing the piano's strings and frame as well as the keyboard, and the body of the violin as well as the strings. By manipulating and multi-tracking recordings of these sounds, the resulting compositions build into a cohesive, expressive and unique sonic space.
Across her back catalogue, from 2012’s ‘Escapement’ to 2021’s ‘Pause’ she explores themes both personal and abstract, and drives all aspects of the creative process herself down to making etchings for the album covers. This commitment to her craft is felt clearly in her inimitable and intimate live shows.
Ackroyd signed to One Little Independent in 2017 and she is published by Manners McDade. Performing on violin, piano and keyboards, her work with Joe Acheson's live project Hidden Orchestra has taken her all over the world. Her collaborations with animators and filmmakers have been multi-award-winning and her music has been used extensively in TV, radio, documentaries and films, as well as by leading dance companies.
Art credit: Poppy Ackroyd, Norman Ackroyd and Ruth Keating
Photo credit: Jesse Williams & Ellie Jackson-Smith
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