Bess Hildick-Smith, known by her stage name as Bess Atwell, is a young singer, songwriter and guitarist hailing from Brighton. Having spent the majority of the year in the studio, she is now preparing for the release of her debut album expected July 2016. Her voice was likened to “slow, cool water” by The Guardian and Cobbled Streets is her brilliant new debut single, She’s releasing her debut album Hold Your Mind on July 1st via Bullnose Hoops Records which blends folk and singer-songwriter traditions with a pop sensibility.
Observations on identity, self-dismay and claustrophobic social media combine intimacy with rock hooks and gauzier, more expansive atmospheres recalling the work of First Aid Kit, Agnes Obel and Sharon Van Etton.
Produced by Michael Smith, the album was mostly recorded at Smith’s RnR Studio in London, with a five-piece band. But with initial sessions stalling, Smith and Atwell headed south to Lewes (Atwell’s hometown) and got back to basics, simplifying the sound and experimenting. Timeless in essence, the resulting 12 songs have a soft, ethereal quality with a dark edge.
Debut single Cobbled Streets, describes Atwell’s sometimes ambiguous relationship with small-town existence.“Because my family moved around quite a bit when I was a child, I desperately wanted to belong somewhere, and I’ve always sought out a close community, people that you see every day. That’s my idea of home, though I haven’t really found it yet. I feel comfortable and creative in a small community. At the same time, I’m so aware that there’s a world out there that I want to explore.”
The Fat Angel Sings 