{"product_id":"arco-ep","title":"Arco EP","description":"\u003cp\u003eMaking her stage debut in April 2019 and selling out her first headline show at London’s prestigious Southbank Centre less than a year later, AA Williams hit the ground running. Similarly, the acclaim for her performances and her music has been unanimous from the start. After one self-titled EP and a collaboration with Japanese post-rockers Mono, the London-based singer-songwriter signed to Bella Union and released her stunning debut album, \u003ci\u003eForever Blue, \u003c\/i\u003ein July 2020.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat Southbank show would prove to be the last time she would take to the stage for a long while as the world struggled to cope with unforeseen and extreme challenges. Never a musician to sit still, the classically trained multi-instrumentalist focused her creativity on arranging - firstly, by stripping back to the most delicate bones on her \u003ci\u003eSongs from Isolation \u003c\/i\u003ecovers record, and now with a complete reimagining of her own material as the four songs from her debut EP become \u003ci\u003eArco.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot many musicians have the ability - or indeed bravery - to rework a collection of their own full band 'rock' songs into a string-and-voice arrangement. AA Williams, however, is not like many musicians and the minimalism of Arvo Pärt and Gorecki has long since sat beside Vaughan Williams' folk-inspired classical work as important influences on her music. Indeed, the intention with the EP was for Williams to challenge herself by not retaining guitars and drums, meaning \u003ci\u003earco\u003c\/i\u003e had to be truly reimagined with a full string ensemble. As Williams describes it: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"The main focus of the arrangements is trying to maintain the authenticity of the original songs that, whilst embodying some of the more familiar elements of the full-band settings, draws focus on the voice.\"\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConducting the ensemble of string musicians in the studio, AA Williams has evolved her own compositions with new instrumentation and arrangements, encapsulating the singular vision of a unique artist.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bella Union","offers":[{"title":"Purple | 12\"","offer_id":50408776958283,"sku":"1130121","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Blue | 12\"","offer_id":50408776728907,"sku":"1161960","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50408777482571,"sku":"1130120","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/63d9b242-915d-47a7-9a6f-7b07c921a3d8_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726607339","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/products\/arco-ep","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}