Austel – White Linen
Today, artist and producer Austel (Annie Rew Shaw) reveals her intimate new single ‘White Linen’ ahead of her upcoming album Mirror To Mine.
Arriving as a gentle dose of tranquility, delicately woven “White Linen” is a touching ode to family. Effortless vocals expand and explore both chosen family and the one we’re born into. Queerness, acceptance and the complexities of love and intergenerational trauma come together in an exquisitely simple yet richly textured folk-song. Austel’s inclusion of field recordings from her parents’ garden in Devon adds a personal and grounding touch to this blissful offering.
Back in March Austel treated listeners to nostalgic and sun-soaked ‘Hotel Room Window View’. The track was warmly received and described as ‘Soft, nostalgic and quietly expansive’ by Metal Magazine. Originally inspired by a dream, the track gives listeners an opportunity to reflect and evoke introspection. Sharing more, Austel explained; ‘This song is based on a surreal dream. I was trapped in this place I thought I wanted to be – on the surface, it was beautiful, but underneath, the woodwork was rotten, the view not so great, the company even less so.
I wrote it during the 2020 lockdown when I was back in Devon – being in my childhood hometown resulted in revisiting lots of forgotten/buried memories, alongside distance from my London life and some of the chaotic relationships I’d been embroiled in. It weaves into memories from being a teenager, early experiences of intimacy that never sat quite right, a loss of innocence, and how echoingly heartbreaking that can be – even years later when you’ve gained some perspective on it all.’
Today’s new single “White Linen” is the final track to be revealed ahead of Austel’s forthcoming second album Mirror To Mine which will follow on the 5th of June.
Listeners can expect a meticulously crafted record that looks to be a significant milestone in Austel’s rise, marking great progression. Self-produced, the album presents a gorgeous display of ethereal alt-folk, anchored in nylon-string guitar, subtle ensemble arrangements and evocative, delicately placed field recordings. The latter gently tethers the sound in the physical world. The release of the album will be followed by a UK tour, later on in June, see below for full tour dates;
7th June – The Poetry Club, Glasgow
8th June – Little Buildings, Newcastle
9th June – Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
10th June – The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
12th June – Pink Moon, Brighton
15th June – Bristol Folk House, Bristol
17th June – Elysium Cafe, Swansea
18th June – Green Note, London
19th June – Other Space Arts, Windsor
20th June – 12 Bar Music & Social, Exeter
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