Premiere: Woodpecker Wooliams – “Patryoska”.
April 19, 2011, 1 comments
Woodpecker Wooliams is the nature-dripping recording moniker of a young lady from Brighton named Gemma Williams. Her songs, mostly comprised only of a harp and her enchanted yet firm, confident voice, enriched with some subtle field recordings (sometimes simply made up of background noises caught on tape during the recording process itself), are restrained yet stunning pieces of experimental folk, evoking images of a long-gone English countryside full of mysteries and fairytales. Of course, the word “harp” in connection with a contemporary artist has to provoke comparisons with Joanna Newsom, but if anything – probable inspiration notwithstanding – putting Williams’ music alongside that of the California-born singer is nothing the former needs to be afraid of. To say the least, apart from the rather obvious fact of the instrument of choice, the common grounds are limited. Where Newsom opts for the baroque and at times almost flamboyant (which is no judgment whatsoever), Williams’ honest lo-fi recordings stay on the ground, literally and figuratively, a quality that actually leaves her raw folk closer to bands like Mountain Man, in particular.
The tiny Italian imprint Wool Shop Productions has just released the latest Woodpecker Wooliams work, the wonderful Patryoska, an eight-track mini CD-R that comes nestled in a wicker basket presentation box with a painted poster. Take a listen to the two exclusive, absolutely breathtaking songs Diego Diego and Wild Beasts below, and then quickly head over here to get your hands on one of the 36 very special, handmade items.
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