Contemporary virtuoso duo AVAWAVES, comprising of Anna Phoebe and Aisling Brouwer, are set to follow their expansive 2019 debut album ‘Waves’ with their exquisite new LP ‘Chrysalis’, released October 8th via One Little Independent. AVAWAVES are rooted in cinematic narratives, evoking emotional journeys of the heart and mind.
New single ‘Lucid Dreaming’ is their astral cry for connectivity, recorded remotely in complete darkness, so they could picture each other’s presence as vividly as possible.
Their second full-length album masterfully layers ethereal keys over swelling strings and pulsating synths in a series of euphoric epics. Sublime, celestial textures ebb and flow, building towards far-reaching climaxes where everything comes together in effortless, natural harmony. The bold expressive palette reveals the influence of surrealist artists such as Katharina Grosse and Hilma af Klint, as well as the films that shape their worlds, like Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon. It brims with energy and light, illuminating the power of dreams.
‘Chrysalis’ opens with its profound title track, a constantly evolving, ambitious piece with a steady beat that builds in intensity. Emotive and theatrical, it reflects on themes of transformation, inspired by the life cycle of the cicada. This is followed by cascading keys in ‘Seahorse’ and sweeping violins in ‘Danu’, showcasing the dynamic synchronicity between Anna and Aisling. ‘Emerging Flight’ and ‘Before We Wake’ are delicate anthems which rise and fall, drawing you further into the dreamlike universe of AVAWAVES.
‘Midnight Bird’ features the dramatic vocals of Newcastle’s YVA, conjuring up emotions through her poetry and powerful voice. It presents AVAWAVES in a different light, for the first time inviting another artist into their imagined sphere. ‘Forest Whispers’ visualises a world of deeper connection, reflecting on the ways trees communicate through their root system. ‘Sail Wave’ is layered ambience glistening with hope whilst album closer ‘Awakening’ concludes the journey with cinematic beats and melodies drawn from their combined Irish heritage.
They tell us; “We created the idea of the Chrysalis, which is a heightened dream-like utopia. When you listen to the album you enter the imagined state of AVAWAVES. In 2020 as we wrote and recorded our album from two different countries, creating this space was more important than ever against the backdrop of isolation and working remotely. Each of the pieces are made within this chrysalis. The feeling we want is that through the music, people can enter this immersive world and come out in a renewed and altered state, drawing strength from the music, energised by nature's empowering resilience”
Anna Phoebe is a composer and violinist who has recorded and toured throughout the world with multi-platinum selling bands, as well as collaborations with the European Space Agency, Royal Ballet School and Cancer Research. Aisling Brouwer is a film composer and producer who scored the BIFA-nominated anti-racist feature White Riot and is currently writing the soundtrack to 'Lioness' - a film directed by Helena Coan about British boxing champion Nicola Adams. She has also worked on campaigns for United Nations and Dior.
Coming from mixed European backgrounds (Anna Phoebe is German/Greek/Irish and Aisling Brouwer is Dutch/Irish) and having each grown up moving around multiple countries, they met for the first time in London in 2015.
