In session: Poppy Ackroyd

Atmospheric composer Poppy Ackroyd creates her unique sound by harnessing the outer limits of piano and violin.

She pushes both instruments to their sonic limits, warping their classical constraints with plucks, taps and scrapes using drumsticks, cymbals and whatever else comes to hand.

Her 2012 debut record Escapement manipulated and multi-tracked these noises, combining them with ethereal melodies and field recordings. The follow-up DVD – Escapement Visualised – featured bespoke visuals by the artist Lumen and was released in September.

Meanwhile, her second album Feathers is due for release on 14 November. Building on the minimal concept of Escapement, it introduces other keyboard and string instruments into the mix.

We went along to Poppy’s recent gig at the Union Chapel, Islington, to catch her in action: