About
Aurora Engine / Deborah Shaw is a composer, harpist and pianist.. Fusing real instruments, voice and progressive electronica, her work encapsulates a singular and striking sonic landscape. Using collected sounds and inspiration drawn from the natural world such as birdsong, the tides and community voices, she sets out to create beguiling songs and compelling soundscapes.
Her debut album ‘Secret Knock’ was released in 2024 receiving radio plays on Radio 6 music, Amazing Radio, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio introducing with reviews from The Scotsman, Electronic Sound Magazine and BBC 6 Music. Inventive, innovative, her lyrics brim with magic realism, their jauntiness counterbalanced by darker themes of contemporary relevance. Expect tales of imaginary friends, miniaturists, the porn industry, and drunken brawls, often delivered with humour and candour. Originally from the North-east, she sings in a geordie-tinged dialect. Her work has been likened to compelling artists such as Bjork, Kate Bush and Anna Meredith.
Recent commissions as a composer include Cryptic Glasgow (March 2026) , an audio visual performance of her sonic suite ‘Flutter’ a sonic exploration of Tourette’s Syndrome for 4 voices and electronics. Sculpting soundscapes from found sounds, inside pianos and outside the mainstream, Aurora Engine composes thrilling, spine-chilling music. She is will perform at 2025 Celtic Connections and is currently producing new work for release in 2025. Her nature / foley inspired work was presented at Made In Scotland showcase 2023. Release ‘Miniature Self’ was Single of the week by BBC Radio Scotland.
‘MAGICAL AND DELICATe’ TOm TObinson, BBC 6 MUSIC
‘Deft, rich instrumentation….music that feels like feels like wandering cautiously through an enchanted forest, wide-eyed at everything that crosses your path’ - Tallah Brash, The Skinny (Feb 2024)
“an impressive, ground-breaking artist, if you're a fan of trail-blazing acts like Björk, Kate Bush and Anna Meredith, look no further’ The Scotsman 2023
Photographer: Meow Studios