ALBUM REVIEW: A.A. Williams – Forever Blue

Bella Union
Released: 03.07.20

For an artist whose live debut came little over a year ago, A.A. Williams’ resume makes for impressive reading. Tours with Cult of Luna, Russian Circles and Explosions in the Sky; a studio collaboration with Mono – really, it’s small wonder the Londoner’s debut comes cut from the very finest post-rock cloth.

With her weighty vocals floating high in the mix, Forever Blue is a dense, smouldering song-cycle, veering effortlessly between sweeping classical, crushing metal and even traditional singer-songwriter territories. Above all, it’s a record characterised by contrast, whether through mastery of quiet-loud dynamics or its eclectic choice of guests – from the velvety tones of ex-Wild Beast Tom Fleming to the coarse roar of Cult of Luna’s Fredrik Kihlberg. An engrossing new talent.