INTERVIEW: Ammonite
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Ammonite is the new project from songwriter and producer Amy Spencer. Her debut mini-album, Blueprints, explores two opposing sound worlds, voice and technology. Where layers of improvised vocals meet electronic processing and flow like a glorious, glitchy blue river.
Although she was a competent singer-songwriter and guest vocalist for Bicep (who wrote two songs on her debut album), TVAM, DC Gore and Motsa, like many women in music, she experienced “imposter syndrome” in male-dominated environments and preferred to leave others to produce. But with Ammonite, Spencer decided to try something new: creating fragments of self-reflective lyrics, droning vowels and staccato repetitive words, she constructed this debut 7-track sonic manifesto, with her voice at the forefront.
Throughout Blueprints, Spencer displays vulnerability and strength. Her music is close and intimate, but distant and reflective, as if from another time, floating in the atmosphere between space and earth. It is both organic and artificial. Neither good nor bad; human or machine; male or female.
We have had the pleasure of speaking with Amy, and this has been the result.
Hello! Where can we find you right now? How did you start your day?
It’s Sunday around 1PM. I was listening to Malibu’s new EP which has now turned into Malibu radio on Spotify… We have our record player right underneath our TV and have lots of records, but ironically still end up streaming music from our TV. C’est la vie! I still haven’t left the house but I might go for a run along the river soon.
When did the idea of launching a project like yours begin to form? Has it always been something you wanted to do?
I’ve always loved making and releasing music, and have done this in a variety of ways over the years. But Ammonite kind of came about out of nowhere. I was just trying to make music on my own, and figured it could be fun to sample my voice. It ended up opening a world of possibilities which I started using as the foundation for every track on my new record Blueprints.
How would you define your sound?
It’s moody broken down pop music! It’s electronic, experimental and sometimes ambient too. It’s where layers of improvised vocals meet electronic processing and flow like a glitchy blue river!
What artists are you interested in these days?
At the moment I’m listening to a lot of Ulla, Kelly Moran, Malibu, Hinako Omori, Kali Malone, Nailah Hunter. I also love pop music, especially stuff like Caroline Polacheck. She’s incredible live. But I also love this artist called Lapalace, and we’re currently working on a re-work of one of her tracks, can’t wait to share that one.
Can you tell us something about your current or future projects?
I’m focusing on writing more music for Ammonite right now. Blueprints was a long time in the making and it took some time to establish my sound, but now I’m finding my way with production, and I’m currently just having a lot of fun with it.
I recently did a remix for David Holmes which is kind of wild, and I’ve also got lots of remixes coming of tracks from Blueprints! I’d love to continue releasing music & collaborating with other artists.
I’ll also be performing live this year – I have a show supporting the artist Olivia Chaney at Union Chapel in London on 11 June, and there’s going to be more Unravel nights coming soon. The next one is on 12 July!
socials Ammmonite
https://www.instagram.com/ammonite_1
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