Willkommen Records » Press material for Emma Gatrill

Press material for Emma Gatrill

Emma Gatrill by Sequoia Zig – Click to enlarge

Emma Gatrill by Sequoia Zif – Click to enlarge

Brighton-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Emma Gatrill has announced her new album ‘Come Swim’ will arrive on 24th November 2023 via Willkommen Records, and has shared the shimmering and transportive single ‘Adonis Blue’; a collaboration with Villagers’ Conor O’Brien.

Employing a broad sonic palette that blurs the boundaries of folk and electronica, ‘Adonis Blue’ is a cosmic and meditative exploration showcasing Gatrill’s sublime signature harp playing and lush vocals, while O’Brien lends his considerable talents to the track providing glitchy electronics, trumpet and drum machine programming. Elsewhere, frequent collaborator and partner Marcus Hamblett (James Holden, Nadine Shah, The Staves) oversees production and synth duties, along with beautiful contributions from Helen Whitaker (flute) and Andrew Stuart Buttle (violin).

Named after a rare blue butterfly, for Emma ‘Adonis Blue’ represents a search for something elusive (“wandering the fields for a glimpse of you”) and the joy to be found in the process regardless of the result; the importance of being open to experience magic in the minutiae of the everyday. Serenely conveying a playful sense of adventure, the breathlike ebb and flow of the track’s orchestration envelops the listener at every turn in a luminous journey of healing and discovery. Pulsing woodwind, brass and graceful strings combine as the track’s percussive electronic elements flicker and flutter, resulting in a rousing finale as Emma calmly advises “Come on, let yourself feel the heat… Don’t be scared of what you need”.

Though the majority of her third full-length release ‘Come Swim’ was produced and recorded at home (or Bear Mountain Studios, as the credits have it), Gatrill was able to call on a truly impressive cast of collaborators for the album. Along with O’Brien and co-producer Hamblett, other guests include Kate Stables (This Is The Kit), Rozi Plain, Mark Lockheart (Polar Bear, Radiohead’s Kid A), Rachel Horwood (Trash Kit, Bas Jan), Thom Mills (Skinny Lister), and Rachael Dadd.

Since 2017’s acclaimed Cocoon, Gatrill has steadily earned her place as one of UK music’s best-kept secrets. From singing on Nick Cave & Warren Ellis’ film soundtrack ‘Wind River’, to playing a remarkable range of instruments for others (including Lucy Rose, Broken Social Scene, Samantha Crain, David Thomas Broughton and more), Emma has distilled this wealth of experience into creating a captivating sound entirely of her own; a logical progression that culminates in the fervent beauty and wonder of ‘Come Swim’.

Emma Gatrill on ‘Adonis Blue’ and working with Conor O’Brien:

“Adonis Blue is a rare butterfly, the males have brilliant sky blue wings with a fine black line around the edge. I spent the summer on a quest wandering the South Downs in the hope of spotting this butterfly. The track is about searching for things that are hard to find but accepting that the quest itself can fulfil desires. It’s about the adventure and all that we find along the way. Conor is such an inspirational musician and it was an absolute honour to work with him on this song. The beat he crafted really weaved itself into the orchestration and his trumpet really makes the song for me!”

Conor O’Brien (Villagers) on ‘Adonis Blue’:

“It was such a pleasure to add some minimal electronic grooves and trumpet to the beautiful ‘Adonis Blue’. It’s a lovely, spacey trip of a tune full of yearning and joy.”

Previous press for Emma Gatrill :

“a beautiful slab of skewed folk-pop brilliance.” Line of Best Fit
“she’s probably somewhere between the Julia Holter aurora and the Sufjan Stevens supernova — and you can trust that Gatrill’s music sounds like it’s being projected across the heavens.” Stereogum
“From her evocative music, Gatrill proves evidence of having a crafter’s mind, one that can coalesce varying elements of earthiness and anodic nature into pieces of harmonious exploration.” GoldFlakePaint