The third album from Australian soul/funk singer Kylie Auldist is
out now on Tru Thoughts. Entitled ‘Still Life’, the new LP
sees Auldist singing straight from the heart and telling the stories of
her life, exploring themes such as love, loss and the passing of time
with an intelligence and depth that only experience can inspire.
By turns wistful, uplifting, poignant and simply smoking hot, ‘Still
Life’ is brimful of bright, accessible funk and sultry soul, served up
by the velvety voiced diva with a healthy dose of disco inspired boogie.
The album was co-written and produced by close collaborator Lance Ferguson (Lanu/The Bamboos), whose versatile production skills – as
showcased across his many Lanu and The Bamboos releases – snap into
action here with a classy updating of the ‘70s dancefloor sound.
Exquisite string and horn arrangements on the record sit amongst emotive
piano melodies, driving drums and the strut and snaking groove of
Ferguson’s guitar.
The double A-side digital single, “Counting On You” / “Changes”,
precedes the album on 17th September; pitching a soul song back-to-back
with a disco track, this nugget lifts the lid on the super fresh and
sunny effervescence of Kylie Auldist’s new material and has already been
supported by funk and soul connoisseurs including Craig Charles (BBC
6Music) and Kev Beadle (Solar Radio) as well as being picked as the
‘Hot One’ on Jazz FM. However, the lighter end of the album is
complemented by darker undercurrents; from the eerie, haunting
“Daydream” to an inspired, lilting and strutting cover of “Howlin’ For
You” which Kylie says “combines my love for The Black Keys with my lust
for reggae”, through to the deep funk stormer “Nothin’ Else To Beat Me”
which shows Kylie on classic world-beating fiery form. “All In You” is a
love letter to her two sons.
The combination of vocal strength, sass and lightness of touch that
she has made her trademark, along with the heart and soul she pours into
her songs, has gained Kylie Auldist the reputation as one of the best
soul singers working today, attracting comparisons to the likes of
Sharon Jones. The half-Samoan girl from the Outback moved to Melbourne
to pursue singing at a young age, and having initially become known to
the world as the front-woman with The Bamboos, over the course of her
two previous acclaimed albums – 2008’s ‘Just Say’ and 2009’s ‘Made Of
Stone’ – Kylie Auldist has positioned herself as a solo singer of some
renown, within the soul and funk scenes and beyond.
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