Review: “Astraea Beaming” by Astraea Beaming 

Astraea Beaming is the self-titled debut album of the artist also known as Kathleen Ashwill. It’s full of beautifully written cello and vocal compositions that incorporate influences from many aspects of both classical and modern music.

Astraea Beaming’s blend of cello and vocals is already a unique combination. And her music delves deeper into the beauty of mixing modern ideas with traditionally classical instruments. 

Track Review

The album starts off with “rise,” which features only cello without any vocals or backing instruments. Beginning with a show of Kathleen’s cello skills helps shape the rest of the album, and it helped me pick out and appreciate the cello parts in later songs. 

Another all-cello track on the album is “tulip,” which isn’t the bright and sweet song I was expecting from the title. The harmonic minor key gives it a dark and haunting tone different from many of the other songs on the album.

However, the tone shift still makes sense, as it comes after “the garden,” a track that sounds light and blooming on the surface but deals with much darker subject matter. Musically, “the garden” has a beautiful piano part as well as some dissonance between the vocals and the instrumentals that mirrors the juxtaposition between the bright music and the deep lyrics. 

Similarly, “master” plays on dark ideas, specifically the idea of subservience between two people. A predatory relationship between an older man and a younger woman is outlined in the lyrics of the song. The lyrics match the music, with dissonant harmonies that disturb the soul just slightly but not enough to make the song difficult to listen to.

The album contains a few great, catchy songs to break up some of the deeper tracks. For instance, “dynamo” is soft and fun, and it brings to mind images of fields of flowers or frolicking in a forest. The last track, “dreamer” is also catchy and conveys an inspirational message of determination.

The album uses multiple instruments and techniques across different songs, which helps give the album a cohesive feel. The cymbal rolls in “whisper mountain” and “master” mirror the sound of rolling thunder, and Kathleen’s layering of her voice in songs like “queen” and “west song” creates the illusion of multiple people telling the stories.

Verdict

This album is all about bringing ethereal beauty into music while not sacrificing the depth of subject matter, and Kathleen executes this beautifully. All of the songs fit together into one larger work that blends the beauty of classical cello with modern and truthful lyrics. Kathleen manages to balance a variety of ideas and sounds in a very graceful manner.

Kathleen’s classical influence as a cellist brings a fun and interesting take to her musical expression. While some people may deem classical music boring, there is nothing boring about her music. 

Astraea Beaming’s self-titled album employs musical techniques that remind me of the beauty of nature with its flowing feel and melodies that mimic songbirds. All this is done without overshadowing the powerful messages Kathleen conveys. It’s a fantastic listening experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who is even vaguely interested in either cello or indie music.