On International Women’s Day, a showcase for some of the women who work in the world of electronic music…
International Women’s Day, which falls on 8th March each year, has become an opportunity to not only recognise the achievement of women throughout history, but to also raise awareness of issues such as gender equality, violence, women in science & technology and to promote the aspirations of girls and women worldwide.
Historically, women have made a significant impact on the world of electronic music, with people such as Delia Derbyshire, Daphne Oram, Bebe Barron, Wendy Carlos and Laurie Anderson being pioneers in their own distinct ways.
To celebrate the contributions that women have made to electronic music, we thought it made sense to flag up some of the musicians, composers and singers that TEC has championed in the past (and maybe some new ones too). This selection is by no means definite and certainly isn’t designed to present a complete picture of women in electronic music, but is purely a sampling of the broad range of electronic music that women are active in.
BECKIMACHINE
Bekimachine pulls in from a variety of influences for her electropop outings, including the likes of Grimes, HANA, Purity Ring, Bjork and CHVRCHES. There’s also a definite video game aesthetic lurking in her music. The compound result is material that sounds distinctive, without being derivative. Take the dynamic ‘Mecha’ with its repeating beats and neon hooks – an energetic sci-fi outing supercharged with synth-pop power.
2022 debut Another Atmosphere (see TEC review) was an album envisioned as being “inspired by a conceptual alternate universe where cybernetics are reality” and where the listener is invited to follow Beki’s alter ego on a journey of “power, change, love and loss”. ‘Ethereal’, as an example. has a dreampop sensibility with some smartly composed layered effects. There’s also some treated vocals which give this composition a suitably otherworldly vibe. Meanwhile, there’s something mesmerising about the languid ‘Crescent’ which is another standout moment. Alongside intriguing lines such as “All I feel is something I just can’t define” are some sweet vocal melodies.
https://bekimachine.bandcamp.com/album/another-atmosphere
LEATHERS
Vancouver electronic outfit ACTORS have become one of the most talked about bands on the scene in recent years, particularly on the back of 2021 album Acts of Worship. Shannon Hemmett, who is usually on keyboards duties for ACTORS, has also branched off into her own musical venture under the guise of LEATHERS.
As with ACTORS, Hemmett’s solo offerings have a stylish sweep to them, such as the sublime ‘Highrise’ or the suave, dark quality to ‘Fascination’. At times, it suggests a combo of the discopop of Goldfrapp meeting the dry synth-pop stylings of Client. ‘Fascination’ also makes smart and minimal use of words (“Fascinating, Elevating, Make believe”) to craft an effective lounge pop mood.
Madil Hardis
Madil Hardis is an accomplished vocalist who weaves classical and electronic elements into her work. Regular TEC readers will probably recognise her name from her association with Nature Of Wires, including her stunning contributions to their Building Reflections album (see review here). Her 2022 EP Noel offered up a striking aproach to some classic Christmas songs, transforming established standards into ethereal and emotive gems. Then there’s ‘Minutes on Earth’, a collaborative efort with 80 Bubbles – a slow and wistful affair driven by both gentle piano melodies and Madil’s evocative vocals.
Her 2023 album Natural Darkness presented a mesmerising collection of ethereal, melancholic moods. This included the wistful ‘To The Heart’, the folksy ‘Misty Days’ and the insistent rhythms of ‘Disintegrate’. The perfect artist for more introspective moods.
Kat Bryan
The goth-pop musings of Kat Bryan served up the excellent 2022 debut Music For The End Of The World in which the TEC review suggested that it invited “the listener to expand their musical boundaries” with its darker, more soulful electronic explorations.
The trajectory of Kat Bryan’s musical journey is, by her own words, quite an odd one. Her formative years saw the Canadian singer-songwriter achieving some recognition within folk circles. “But I was young and wasn’t emotionally or mentally prepared for the industry and ended up backing out of it, really before I got a good start. I stayed out of it for almost 20 years. It was always in the back of my head as the path not taken, and I kept it as a ‘maybe someday I’ll live my dream’ goal.” That sabbatical came to an end just as the COVID pandemic loomed, but provided the catalyst for Music For The End Of The World.
Later tracks, such as ‘Armour’ (from her EP Luna) were crafted as an “anthem for reclaiming your life” typified by its percussive elements with some tactile electronic melodies dotted around the edges. Lines such as “It’s not armour I’m wearing now/It’s a cage” are quite revealing and shows Bryan dabbling in themes of reflection and doubt, yet always with the sense of moving beyond those themes to positions of strength.
Caroline McLavy
Caroline McLavy’s 2014 album Electrostatic (see TEC review) managed to combine lyrical themes of anxiety, relationships and frustration with tunes that were peppered with synth hooks and emotive melodies. The Blue Monday-esque percussion of ‘I’ll Take my Chances’, the more reflective ‘This Is Not My Life’ and the unashamed dancepop of ‘Miss Perfect’, which apparently deals with McLavy’s frustrations in living with various housemates over the years.
Among her inspirations are Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Faithless, Gary Numan, Human League and Eurythmics. “It was first hearing those timeless classic synth sounds on the radio that really embedded into my DNA” commented McLavy in an interview for TEC.
Meawnhile, 2018’s Quasi-Static, saw McLavy approaching remix territory involving talents drawn from a broad church of music styles, including the likes of Parralox, Nature Of Wires, Def Neon, LorD & Master and others.
Nadia Vang
Nadia Vang is a London-based independent artist and producer, heavily inspired by “nostalgic sounds, and powerful themes of femininity throughout history”. Previously operating under the guise of Voi Vang, the darkwave musings of Nadia Vang sees more of a dreampop, ethereal approach to her music these days, which includes the swirling delights of ‘Mercury’ which boasts a sophisticated synth-pop style.
Then there’s the more dynamic ‘Blue Eyes’ with its 90s rock guitars and a fierce four-to-the-floor electro beat. There’s a gossamer sheen at work here with its whispery vocals, but the foundation of beats and rhythms manages to still give this affair a dancepop sensibility.
Nadia Vang also has more in the pipeline for 2024, so watch this space!
https://nadiavang.bandcamp.com
Claire Rousay
Claire Rousay is a Canadian-American experimental musician and composer based in Los Angeles. Rousay often employs field recordings to create musique concrète pieces, such as the mood moments of ‘sometimes i feel like i have no friends’. The result is some strange middleground between ambient and minimalism. Rousay has also collaborated with other artists, including Texas-based experimental musician Mari Maurice (who performs under the name More Eaze) releasing two collaborative albums together, An Afternoon Whine in 2021 and Never Stop Texting Me in 2022.
More recently, Rousay has been experimenting with electronic vocal effects on compositions with forthcoming release sentiment (described as “a meditation of the poignant emotional terrains of loneliness, nostalgia, sentimentality, guilt, and sex”) showcasing this approach.
https://clairerousay.bandcamp.com/album/sentiment
Learn more about International Women’s Day via www.internationalwomensday.com
