Afropop/DIY electronica in isolation
Who they?
The singer/guitarist with a raft of indie pop groups who have gone on to find decent levels of success, Sussex-raised Rachel Aggs might be familiar from Trash Kit (fellow member was Electrelane bassist Ros Murray), Shopping (who were produced by Edwyn Collins) and Sacred Paws (based in Aggs’ adopted home city of Glasgow). Between these three groups, Aggs has released nine albums in the past decade on labels including FatCat, Upset The Rhythm and Mogwai’s Rock Action.
Why Rachel Aggs?
In her collaborative work, Aggs brings a resolutely analogue style of musicianship. Her guitar playing blends a breezy afro sound with post-punk grit, and comparisons to Fela Kuti and the Delta 5 sit comfortably. Recorded last year as part of Johnny “Pictish Trail” Lynch’s ‘Visitations’ series of isolated recording residencies at his home on the Hebridean Isle of Eigg, her debut solo album, ‘Visitations Series 02 Release #2’, sees Aggs adapt to the recording conditions with a dozen songs that match her voice and playing with a diversely lo-fi electronic accompaniment.
Tell us more…
“Johnny told me about the residency, and I invited myself,” says Aggs. “I wasn’t even sure if I might release something, I was just interested in the experience, in the idea of being alone and creatively challenged.” She arrived equipped with a portable Korg drum machine (“I like the way it sounds like a toy version of an 808”), and borrowed one of Lynch’s synths to complete her “backing band”. A fan of dance and experimental electronic music, Aggs describes the album as an exercise in shedding the inhibitions that can often result from collaborative work. Mission accomplished.
‘Visitations Series 02 Release #2’ is on Lost Map
