Check out the absorbing Ships at Sea from Boston-based bluegrass quintet Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground. Written by Toronto-based band Basset, this is a gorgeously-tuneful song that showcases Setiawan’s clear, pure voice. The words are full of poetry, matched by the fine musicianship displayed by all the band members. Gently waltzing rhythms are founded by Brittany Karlson’s wonderfully-warm, woozy bass and Alex Rubin’s acoustic guitar. Over these sonorous layers, Julian Pinelli on fiddle, BB Bowness on banjo and Setiawan on mandolin take turns to deliver impressive solo interludes, their fingers dancing on their frets in sweet melody. Ships at Sea is an atmospheric piece that transports us away from our everyday, out into the band’s musical and timeless tides.
Setiawan tld AUK: “I first heard the Toronto-based Basset at a music conference, and was immediately struck by their beautiful writing and playing. We’ve run into each other lots over the years at this point and this waltz, ‘Ships At Sea’, is so evocative and atmospheric. It felt like a great foil to the frenetic nature of a lot of bluegrass. Thanks so much to these guys for letting me record their song!”
The single is taken from the five-piece band’s debut album, Little Storms, was produced and mixed by Setiawan himself. Recorded at Dimension Sound Studios in Boston, the songs were captured live, with all the energy, chemistry and connection that brings. The process reflected the way the band members make music together, listening and responding in fluent song. Led by two-time Ethan Setiawan, a mandolin championship winner – both the National Mandolin Championship and Rockygrass Mandolin Championship – the band have recorded an engaging mix of original compositions and interpretations of songs by contemporary and influential folk artists. It’s a compelling collection that displays the players’ musical gifts. Little Storms is due for release on 2nd October 2026 via on Adhyaropa Records; look out for it – this is modern bluegrass at its finest.
