AVAWAVES, the international, contemporary virtuoso duo comprising Anna Phoebe and Aisling Brouwer, will release their third studio album, ‘Heartbeat’, on May 9th via One Little Independent Records. A transportive and euphoric meeting of violin, piano, and synth, the LP embraces a fusion of modern composition, ambient, and electronic styles while incorporating the pair’s acclaimed soundtrack work. Thematically, ‘Heartbeat’ represents strength, resolve, and moving forward.
New album ‘Heartbeat’ was produced and mixed with TJ Allen (Bat For Lashes, Portishead, Hannah Peel, Anna Calvi) and features vocals from Imogen Williams of Imogen and the Knife. This release marks a significant musical evolution for the duo, incorporating their soundtrack experience and returning to the collaborative process that shaped their debut record. AVAWAVES’ creative approach is grounded in live performance, crafting compositions by immersing themselves in the emotions of the space – a process challenged by lockdowns and physical distance. Drawing inspiration from visual elements, the duo creates soundscapes that evoke colours, scenes, and stories, akin to scores for an imaginary film. Anna and Aisling believe instrumental music provides a universal language that invites listeners to engage fully, embracing vulnerability and heightened individual emotions. For them, this openness to interpretation is where true meaning lies.
They explain that “the album is about peeling back all the layers we cloak ourselves in until there is nothing left but the source, and discovering the strength that resides there. We wanted this album to feel raw, honest, and intuitive. There are themes of resilience, determination, grit, and an optimism in forever chasing the dawn after dark. It’s the bursting of bubbles and realising how much lighter everything feels without them.”
