Admit it, you were worried this would be a one off feature. Would we do that to you, dear valued reader? We would not. And so here’s another clutch of songs and music that deserves to be heard but is maybe straying away from the central remit of Americana UK. Let’s dive into the weird world of wild folk.
And straight up we have a track from the recently released ‘In Cloak & Womb‘ from folk singer Sive (also known as Sadhbh O’Sullivan). ‘In Cloak & Womb‘ is a concept album drawing inspiration from the duality of the goddess/saint Brigid with songs that explore how her echo might resonate in the world today, particularly in relation to themes of climate change and social justice. The release is also raising money for Crann, an Irish charity planting, promoting and protecting Irish trees, woodlands and hedgerows as part of their activities.
In this post-pandemic world we’re trying to feature fewer cover songs, they got to be a bit of a thing during those working from home days of a couple of years ago, but occasionally something comes along that just demands to be heard, for example the folk-rock version of ‘Scarlet Town’ by Montreal band Little Misty. Hailing from the north end of the Appalachians in Montreal, Canada, the group is led by long-time friends Kathryn Samman (vocals) and François Jalbert (guitar).
And now we come to the folk royalty section of the roundup with a new song from Terre Roche of The Roches (nah, really?). ‘Fish Out Of Water‘ captures the physical reality of a fish literally being out of water and at risk of being consumed – but there’s a subtext very possibly linked to aging as Terre Roche asks “where did all my buddies go / We were side by side in the ebb and flow.” The song is taking from Terre Roche’s new album ‘Inner Adult.‘
From Grey are a three piece made up of Ronan Kéromnès, Stéven Rougerie and Nicolas Delaqueze. Their new album ‘To Dust’ was recorded at Lonesome Studio in Blain (44 – France) – Mixing and mastering by Laurent Ballot and Stéven Rougerie. You may have guessed that they are a French band, but they sing in English. ‘Billie‘ is one of their songs where nostalgia, madness and hope battle, clash and harmonise.
This is all fine, we hear you cry, but where is the folkatronica? Why, oh why, oh why is there never any folkatronica? Well, if you’d just give us a second – how about ‘Johnny’s On The Water‘ from Remorae? Remorae began life as an experimental recording residency project, Folkatron Sessions, and has released 3 successful records – ‘Mais C’est Quoi Maman?’ (2017), ‘Skiver‘ (2020), ‘Home No More’ (2021) – including a collaboration with Mercury Prize-nominated Sam Lee. Their new EP, ‘Flourish in Green’ is out in May, and is a collection of songs where time and relationships are shaped, warped and sometimes overcome by the sea, using live effects and improvisation to find reflections and resonances in old songs.
