Old Low Light

Kathryn Williams, who first came to attention as the ‘token folkie’ in 2000’s Mercury Music Prize nominations with her previous album "Little Black Numbers", is one of the few previously unknown artists to have really benefitted from inclusion on the controversial shortlist. Rather than recede back into obscurity, Williams remains on the public radar, and that’s mainly due to her beguiling way with a tune.

A folk artist in the ‘Nick Drake-influenced’, rather than the traditional sense, Williams continues to employ the warm acoustics of instruments like the double bass and viola to compliment the fragility of her voice. From the opening track, also entitled ‘Little Black Numbers’, Old Low Light traces the same vein as her last album, combining the charming naivety of her lyrics with meanderings on cello bow, pizzicato and jews harp as a backdrop.

While some songs are melancholy ruminations on the dark subject matter of claustrophobic relationships and romantic obsessions (‘Wolf’, ‘On For You’), most of her winsome, Belle & Sebastian-ish songs, like ‘Devices’ and ‘Beatles’, have the air of sweet daydreams set to music.

More candle light than strobe light then – but you never know when you’ll need a candle.