Virginia Astley - From Gardens Where We Feel Secure

Finally. I've been eagerly waiting for an occasion to write about one of the albums I cherish the most, Virginia Astley's perfect little garden on an indolent summer day turned into music. And here I am, listening to the record and barely able to write a single word. I'm overwhelmed. 

Think 1983. Thatcher is re-elected, about to lead a brutal battle against miners on strike and unions, Cold War tensions reach terrifying heights and Karen Carpenter dies of a heart attack at 32. Chaos, social war and a nuclear winter on the horizon. "Uptown Girl", "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" & "Billie Jeans" hit the charts.

Think about this, and now think about what the opposite of this synth-lead pop-fed world on the verge of global destruction might sound like, and you'll get a vague of idea of what From Gardens Where We Feel Secure is. To desindustrializing chaos, it opposed homely harmony. A search for perfection via craftsmanship. And it is indeed a rare example of perfection to me: I can't think of any slight modification that wouldn't ruin this complexe balance of childhood piano motives, field recordings, and evanescent singing. And the only record I could decently compare it to is the equally timeless Neighborhood by Ernest Hood... I guess it says a lot about how much of a miracle it seems to me. Thank you Virginia Astley for changing my life :') (VG+/VG+ Top copy, some surface noise, but it's always the case with such a quiet record)