Dot Allison is one of the best-kept secrets of British
pop. Born in Edinburgh, where she grew up, she moved to
industrial Glasgow in 1989 to study Biochemistry, and
soon found herself surrounded by a string of musicians
and artists, and eventually formed One Dove with a couple
of friends. After recording their first single, Fallen,
the band met with Andy Weatherall, who produced and released
Morning White Dove, their first album, on his
label, Boys Own, in 1993. Followed disagreements with
the label, the band eventually split up in the mid nineties,
and Allison retreated to write her first solo album, Afterglow,
released on Heavenly in 1999. Three years on and a new
record deal under her belt, this time with London-based
Mantra Recordings, she is back with We Are Science.
Partly recorded and produced by Dot in her home studio
in London, We Are Science is a self confessed
return to her roots; the album that she wanted to record
for a long while. Dark and atmospheric, We Are Science
has the cold mechanical beauty of early New Order records
with the more human approach of modern electronic music.
Allison’s compositions, emulated by Two Lone Swordsmen’s
Keith Tenniswood’s granular programming, is not without
recalling the blistering synth pop of early Anne Clark,
the shotgun vocals being replaced by Allison’s incandescent
ethereal voice. Eclectic in her taste, Allison also investigates
other forms of music and orchestrations as on the string-swept
Performance or the beautiful acoustic setting
of Wishing Stone. We Are Science also
features two tracks that Dot recorded a couple of years
ago with Mercury Rev bassist Dave Fridmann, guitarist
Grasshopper and drummer Jeff Ament. Strung Out
and Lover, both produced by Fridmann, are resolutely
closer to rock in structure, but don’t sound out of place
in this collection of slightly claustrophobic songs. It
is in the more characteristically electro moments of this
album that Dot shines most however. Substance,
You Can Be Replaced, Make It Happen
or I Think I Love You are bespoke moody pieces
of love and break-ups, showcasing her strong writing talent
better than ever.
With this uncompromising record, Dot Allison has produced
her most upfront work to date. We Are Science
is complex and yet accessible, thanks to credible lyrics,
impeccable production and powerful interpretation.
4/5
Download a Dot
Allison screensaver and watch the video for Strung
Out
Courtesy of Amp United & Mantra
Recordings |
