The latest single from Astrid Swan’s acclaimed From The Bed & Beyond album gets a Tekla Vály video.
One of the features of Astrid Swan‘s From The Bed & Beyond album has been the distinctive visual side surrounding the whole release. A close collaboration with visual artist, photographer and video maker Tekla Vály has put a stamp on all aspects of the album from cover to videos, related photos and the much celebrated live shows surrounding the release. Today we can watch the latest fruits of this with the release of a new video for From The Bed And Beyond‘s ‘Skeleton Woman’.
Direction, cinematography, editing, script – Tekla Vály
Skeleton Woman – Tiina Sysimusta
Woman on bed – Astrid Swan
Song by Astrid Swan.
Astrid Swan tells us more about the song’s meaning and interpretation:
“‘Skeleton woman’ is an ancient story about life, death, love and reinvention. The mangled and
broken bones of a long-gone skeleton woman in the middle of a lake get caught in a fisher man’s
fishing stick. The Skeleton Woman rises, follows the scared man home and there, he puts her
together. In the night, when the fisherman sleeps, Skeleton Woman drinks his tears to quench her
thirst and thus becomes a living, breathing woman again. They fall in love.
My Skeleton Woman is a song of resistance. It is a song of owning my narrative, making beauty
and life where death presides. My song is also a lament, because death is always already present.
We are facing each other only for a fleeting moment. Love is our best bet and our wildest dream.”
“You have the ability to reinvent yourself, endlessly. That’s your beauty.” Lidia Yuknavitch in her Misfit Manifesto
Astrid Swan will be performing at various festivals this summer, including Sideways, Provinssi, Flow Festival and Meidän Festival:
- 9.6. Sideways Festival, Helsinki
- 10.6. Saariblues, Tampere
- 1.7. Provinssi, Seinäjoki
- 22.7. Alppipuisto, Helsinki
- 28.7. Meidän Festivaali, Järvenpää/Tuusula
- 13.8. Flow Festival, Helsinki
- 09.09 Savoy Theatre, Helsinki
- 30.9. TTT-Klubi, Tampere
- 7.10. G Live Lab, Helsinki
Some press reaction to From The Bed & Beyond:
HS 5/5 “Tuotanto, toteutus ja tulkinta ovat maailmanluokkaa. Jos Swania aiemmin vertailtiin hänen kansainvälisiin hengenheimolaisiinsa, nyt hän seisoo tasavertaisena heidän rinnallaan.”
Soundi 4/5 “From The Bed And Beyond on nimittäin teemastaan huolimatta elinvoimainen ja itsevarma levy – koska Astrid Swan on elinvoimainen ja itsevarma artisti.”
Rumba 9,4/5 “From the Bed and Beyond muistuttaa, että emme ole kuolemattomia, mutta olemme vielä elossa. Levyn melodiat jäävät mieleen pyörimään pitkäksi aikaa ja pulpahtelevat pintaan yllättävissäkin yhteyksissä. Se on hyvän popmusiikin tuntomerkki.”
Desibeli 5/5 “Tässä on levy jota jokaisen sydämensä satuttaneen ihmisen soisi kuuntelevan, sillä kaikesta löytyy kyllä valoa, tavalla tai toisella.”
Sylvi 4.5/5 “The songs shine a strong fighting spirit and self-confidence.”
When You Motor Away “The emotions are raw and sincere. Fear, hope, loss, grief, hope, uncertainty and anger appear seemingly as three dimensional elements of the songs. But it is all beautifully rendered with nuanced performances from the players, sophisticated arrangements and production, and, most of all, Swan’s gorgeous vocals.”
In Between Songs “Musically and visually her work exudes a vulnerable and morbid romanticism. But Astrid Swan’s language is realistic and completely raw, almost brutal at times, as she tells her story of facing one’s own mortality and, ultimately, finding one’s own strength.”
Gold Flake Paint “Further proof, if ever it were needed, of the importance of music, both created and consumed, the new record from Astrid Swan is a strikingly personal piece of work armed with the ability to make an impact on the listener”
Austin Town Hall “Astrid Swan has one of Finland’s most powerful voices”
KSML 4/5 “Surua tai sairautta ei toivo kenelläkään, mutta Swan on tehnyt vastoinkäymisistään koskettavan kauniin teoksen.”
Photo by Tekla Vály