BY SAM DESTEFANO
Every time I hear someone say there’s no good music out there anymore, I laugh, because there’s so much great music all around us, everywhere. So many artists have been empowered by modern technology and life. Allison Lorenzen is a perfect example of an artist that has brilliantly carved out her own existence in the musical universe. She has created a story and music that slowly burns an impression, layered ideas, melodies and sounds into you subconscious. It grows on you in a way that creates wonder and makes you ask questions while simultaneously feeling like you’re already home. Like all great music, every listen you peel back another layer and make new discoveries. We were so lucky to catch up with Allison and talk about her journey as an artist, as well as, the release of her debut LP, Tender.
In 2012 you started playing music in Philly. Can you tell us about your artistic and musical history? How did you end up as a solo artist in Colorado?
My earliest foray into playing music was actually in 2007 at a dance festival in Germany! I became friends with a fellow dancer and we just started singing together in the studio one day. We quickly began writing songs together and were invited to go on a mini tour to Denmark to be part of a live art installation project. I returned to the Philadelphia area, and began connecting with local musicians, playing shows, and writing more songs. While at an art store in 2012, I met the person who would become the other half of School Dance, which was my main creative outlet for the next 5 years. In 2015 we relocated to Colorado (which is where I was born and almost all of my family resides) and were readily welcomed into the Denver music scene, playing DIY and other small shows. The band ended in 2017 and I took some time to regroup and extract myself from the project and relationship. In 2019 I began experimenting with a solo set and it wasn’t until lockdown in 2020 that I had the time to really focus on music and craft something to share.
Dance has clearly informed and inspired your work. Do you have a history with dance and how does it relate to your music?
Dance has been a big part of my life since I started taking lessons at age 3. I studied dance in college, and afterward had a dance company in Philadelphia which made strange dance pieces that blurred lines with performance art. Movement and embodiment continue to be incredibly important to me, and I find it’s the same creative energy that I connect to while writing music as I do while dancing. Being in motion is important for my songwriting, and I’ve written many of my songs while experiencing some form of movement or transit, such as on a boat, train, walk, or bicycle ride.
In November of 2021 you released your debut LP Tender on Whited Sepulchre Records. Will you share with us a little about the inspiration and experience of putting this project together?
Madeline Johnston of Midwife and I began recording the first single, “Vale” in February 2020, just before lockdown. I was in the process of moving to NYC and Madeline was getting ready for an international tour. Both plans were waylaid by covid, and I ended up rerouting to stay with family, which reunited me with my childhood piano. Madeline and I eventually sent each other additional tracks to finish up the song. I had not shared music in years and this would be the first single under my own name, so I wanted to give “Vale” a proper release. I asked Ryan Hall at Whited Sepulchre Records to help put the song out in an official capacity. It was so well-received that Ryan asked if I would like to release a full length album with the label. I had been wanting to make an album for years, so, of course, I said “yes.” When envisioning the album, I wanted to include songs that were written over the years that needed a home, as well as new ones written during lockdown. I wanted each song to have its own sound, but for the album to hold together sonically with “Vale” as one of the cornerstones.
It’s hard to pin down your sound exactly. Is it slow-core, art-pop, synth-wave? How would you define it and how would you describe it to someone who has never heard your music before?
Dark dream-pop? Definitely slow-core, as I’m pretty sure the fastest bpm on the album is 98. One blog described my sound as “piano-based ambient pop” which I thought was kind of nice.
Can you tell us about some of the artists you have played, recorded and collaborated with in the past couple of years including from Midwife’s Madeline Johnston who contributed to your LP?
Madeline is a huge inspiration to me and has become a dear friend. We’ve known each other for years, since playing Denver shows back when I had School Dance and she was Sister Grotto. After I took a break from music for a couple of years, we reconnected and she invited me to play a solo set at an upcoming show. We ended up continuing to play shows together, and Madeline asked if I’d like to try recording a song with her producing it, which ended up leading to the creation of “Vale.” The other main collaborator on the album is Dan Henry who played bass with Memory Tapes. We had been on a couple of longer tours together in the School Dance days and had formed a friendship. He’s an incredible musician and I’d been wanting to record together at some point, so creating Tender was the perfect opportunity to do so.
You have self-recorded and produced Tender which seems like an ominous task on top of writing and performing the music. What was this experience and your process like? Do you have any thoughts, tips or tricks that you would pass along to other adventurous home recording artists?
For the longest time I was intimidated by the recording process. I decided to walk through that fear and asked a couple of friends to show me the ropes with recording software. With the addition of countless youtube videos, I began to get the hang of it and started the album by sketching out skeletons of each song with vocals and piano. My friend Dan Henry came out from Philadelphia to add bass, guitar, and additional synths. Madeline of Midwife added guitar and vocals to a couple of tracks. The most challenging step for me was dialing in the mixes, and I had help from a couple of friends – Luke Thinnes mixed “Birds, A Chapel” and Charlie Kern mixed “Chalk” and “Afterthought.” My biggest tip would be to learn how to ask for help when needed. The album wouldn’t be what it is without help from a few incredibly talented musicians. I’m so grateful to everyone who contributed to bringing Tender into its final form.
What music is currently on rotation for you?
It changes all the time, but today it’s Mary Lattimore and BEA1991.
Can we expect you to be playing in Denver anytime soon?
Yes! February 12th at the Hi-Dive for Bluebook’s album release show!
So much has changed for musicians because of the pandemic. How has this impacted your work and what’s on the horizon for your artistic journey?
The pandemic unexpectedly landed me with my childhood piano and time to purely focus on music for the first time ever, so it strangely gifted me the opportunity to create the album. I kind of fell in love with the recording process and I’m excited to learn more and to continue creating and releasing music. I’ve just begun working on another music video with my collaborator Jack Manzi of Silver Island Studios! And I’ve been sketching out a song for a second album! I’m looking forward to playing shows to support the release of Tender.
Thanks so much for sharing your story, Allison. We can’t wait to catch you at the Hi-Dive in February. Until then, be sure to do your homework and check out her amazing debut LP Tender! See you all at the show.