Review: A.A. Williams ‘Solstice’
As a long-time fan of A.A. Williams, one thing that has always humbled me is the artist’s ability to take a minimal sound and make it extraordinarily huge.
Ever since I picked up a copy of that first self-titled EP back in late 2019, I’ve been mesmerised by just how wonderfully powerful her live performances are too. A.A. Williams is the complete package, an artist who is equally fantastic live as on record.
She was also the first artist I saw live after the pandemic, at Ramsgate Music Hall, and even now that memory sits amongst my top nights out watching bands from the past decade. Since then, I have witnessed her perform live multiple times and have continued to collect the albums as they’ve been released. When the opportunity to review Solstice landed, there was no way I was going to pass up that chance as for me, reviewing her work is quite the honour.
In that time, I have seen her grow from a unique underground entity to a more versatile contender on the world stage. With this next evolution, she really has created something thoroughly more mesmerising and beautiful than ever before.
With Solstice, we find the boundaries of her sound being pushed. The resulting body of work is a true reflection of just how far things have come since those 2019 days, when a more minimalist approach was necessary to create the tones. In 2026, it’s all been elevated; the use of intense, mournful droning guitars and slow percussive passages conveys a sorrow unparalleled within this realm of music.
The eleven-track opus opens with Poison, a track that quickly gathers pace and intensity before rapidly expanding with a trademark flourish synonymous with the artist’s style. Sounding familiar yet subtly different, it’s easy enough to spot it’s A.A Williams, but it does just enough to have you double-checking.
Wolves swiftly follows, and again, even though it’s dark and brooding in tone, you can instantly recognise the artist. It’s like stepping out from the shadows and into the foreground, where the streetlight captures you in its glare. It’s an exposé, if you will.
a world-class slice of foreboding beauty wrapped up in an eloquently designed symphony of sound…
For me, it’s track three, Little By Little, where her evolution is most luxuriously obvious; a world-class slice of foreboding beauty wrapped up in an eloquently designed symphony of sound. Its scope is huge, and the impact is earth-shattering when it hits its stride. It’s one of my favourite musical moments of the year; the way it flitters between dark, doomy sorrow and a lighter unburdening at its climax is genius.
Hold It Together takes us off on a different tangent. With the songstress assuming piano perfection alongside haunted vocals, it initially feels like this piece may go on forever. It is relatively short-lived, however; after a few minutes, the piano drops away, replaced by a bold and despairing musical monologue that is thoroughly devastating. Again, the band have come together to build a sonic catastrophe of unimaginable beauty.
Pulling it back round to the serene darkness, Outlines gives with one hand and takes with the other. We are offered some respite from the previous cacophony, but at the expense of our vulnerability; as the track progresses, it becomes overwhelmingly heartbreaking. One thing the artist has always excelled at is that emotional bond to the music, making us feel every last soul-crushing moment. You feel that claustrophobic tightness in the chest, the loss of breath, and the ultimate euphoria as the pressure is released.
Track seven, The Veil, takes us right back to the old school, especially recalling those first couple of releases. The debut album, Forever Blue, was full of these incredibly personal and poignant moments, and as such, it’s wonderful to hear these calms in the storm. They seem to be few and far between this time round, and as Just a Shadow plays through, it’s evident that this will be no such moment. Far more abrasive in nature, it’s the first of two tracks that encompass the deep darkness she manages so magically.
It Won’t Rain Forever is the perfect accompaniment, solidifying that A.A. Williams is truly in a class of her own. This isn’t just music; this is a unique perspective that always needed a soundtrack, and there was only ever going to be one person who could pull it off so wonderfully; that’s A.A.herself.
By the time we get to the climax of the album, The Gentle Harm, the conclusion feels inevitable: one last emotional outpouring. This time around, it seems more assertive in tone, and as it reaches its crescendo, it is captivating. A truly wonderful album by an exceptional musician – absolutely joyous.
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
