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By Leanne, Monday 12th October 2009 09.28am (1948 views)
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‘Calling All Magicians’ is a wonderfully inspired and evocative collection of songs by Australian singer/songwriter Danielle Spencer. Produced by Tony Visconti (best know for his work with David Bowie) this is Danielle’s second album (the first to be released in Britain) and one that has an intriguing – and subtle – magical mystery.
Whilst the sonic atmosphere of the bottom layer may seem dark and intoxicatingly haunting, the overlaying pop element of the lyrics and melodies grabs audiences by the hand and leads them to another place without ever truly revealing its allegiances. “My writing is a combination of observation, imagination and personal experience. I wouldn’t call it a diary – it’s more abstract than that”.
Danielle’s debut album ‘White Monkey’ was released through EMI Australia in 2001 to critical approval and radio support. The Australian singer/songwriter then chose to take a break from her burgeoning and creative musical endeavours to undertake the challenging dynamics of her new role as a wife and a mother.
Feeling the tug to return to her music, Danielle began writing songs on her piano at home in her bedroom; detaching herself from the world outside, she wrote the songs that would ultimately feature on her second album ‘Calling All Magicians’. “It came in stages, in the sense that I was carving out little bits of time to write and record, and I then sort of felt like I’d got my musical-flow back. By the time I finished the music and the lyrics for all the songs, I realised that I’d got a bunch of songs together that I finally felt sounded like an album.”
With the songs completed and a desire that the album would have more of a band feel than her first album’s more electronic sound Danielle turned her thoughts to finding the right producer - “a friend suggested approaching Tony Visconti. I’m a huge fan of his work and the way he arranges in a raw, real soundscape. I sent him 4 songs initially in demo form with just vocals and piano and was thrilled when he agreed to come on board to produce the album. For someone with such an amazing background, I couldn’t believe how much commitment and focus he brought to my project.”
Tony Visconti (who's also worked with Morrissey) was equally as complimentary saying: “Danielle was described to me as a cross between Kate Bush and David Bowie. She’s not really, Danielle’s all her own person. She sounds like herself, like nobody else I’ve ever worked with. She’s got this beautiful pure voice and I knew I was dealing with someone who was a great writer. The voice captured me, she draws you in, it’s magical”.
A great lover of atmospheric film scores, Danielle loves music that “takes you away from the day to day experience into a different realm”. It seems fitting, therefore, that the artwork for the project has a magical and almost-haunting style. “I like darker undertones because that’s what I feel captures my imagination,” says Danielle, herself an avid-reader. “I came across a children’s book which was like a dark fairytale, and I collaborated with Australian illustrator Steve Hunt on visual ideas for the album artwork to help create an aura about the work.”
Danielle Spencer releases her debut UK single ‘Wish I’d Been Here’ on October 26th.
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