Browsing Tag

Celtic Folk

FirelightX3 Summoned Celtic Myth and Divine Femininity in the Enchanted Folk Serenity of ‘The Fairies Song’

Posted on 9 March 2026

FirelightX3, also known as the Music Fairy, is an artist capable of transforming the rich annals of Celtic folk history into spectral fantasy. In her latest orchestrally guided single, The Fairies Song, she invites listeners to transcend to an enchanted nirvana of escapism from modernism. Drawing on the power of her lineage, she celebrates divine feminine strength while shaping an arcanely ornate soundtrack that leaves the mind lingering in the solace of the world as we once knew it; a world steeped in reverence for nature and mysticism.

The composition unfolds with a gentle, orchestrally guided framework that allows the folkloric atmosphere to breathe into the storytelling traditions embedded within Celtic folk arrangement. The independent singer-songwriter’s vocal delivery drifts with ethereally striking power as she leads listeners to a sonic forgotten woodland gathering where folklore and feminine power gracefully reign.

The heart of the song lies in its dedication. FirelightX3 wrote and composed The Fairies Song as a tribute to the women in her family, honouring five generations through the imaginative vision of their fairy forms. Her great-grandmother, grandmother, aunts, daughters, and their daughters are celebrated within this mythical framing, transforming lineage into lyrical folklore.

Working independently, FirelightX3 continues to shape a catalogue guided by Celtic themes, fantasy storytelling, and personal heritage. Through The Fairies Song, she offers listeners a momentary refuge in a mystical landscape where ancestry, nature, and imagination intertwine.

The Fairies Song is now available on all major streaming platforms, including YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Arrell pushed ‘The One and Only Micka’ into devilishly hedonic folk storytelling

Posted on 21 November 2025

Mikernan Arrell returned with The One and Only Micka, a satirical Celtic folk whirlwind that spins mythological absurdity into something far too entertaining to ignore. Known across Portland for slipping between hard rock, alt country and eccentric folk projects, Arrell has built a reputation for refusing to posture and refusing to sand down any of his rough-edged humour. His solo work carries that same spirit, shaped through the creative freedom of Splinter Studio PDX and his label, Splinter Collective, both of which keep him firmly rooted in independence and experimentation.

He’s firmly back on our radar with this devilishly hedonic leprechaun tale, delivered through a jaunty fable that feels tailor-made for anyone who has ever taken comfort in the theatrical mischief of underground folk punk. Arrell brought the character to life with a wink, letting the narrative barrel forward with trad energy, ridiculous charm and a rhythm that tugs you toward the Emerald Isle before you have the time to question any of it.

The One and Only Micka moves with an infectious shamelessness, the kind that invites you to raise a glass, surrender to the absurdity and enjoy the fantastical obscurity for what it was rather than reading too deeply into the folklore. His vocals carry that knowing glint, the instrumentation swirls with enough bounce to keep the whole thing airborne and the satire lands without ever slipping into caricature.

As an artist who has played in multiple corners of the alternative world, Arrell channelled that breadth into a Celtic folk cut that felt alive, cheeky and unmistakably his. It’s the kind of release that reminds you folk storytelling still has room for humour, irreverence and characters who probably should not be trusted but are great company nonetheless. If you love Harley Poe and Pigeon Pit, don’t sleep on this.

The One and Only Micka is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Greek folk band Grey River & the Smoky Mountain broke borders to break hearts with their latest single, Unlovable

Posted on 9 August 2022

Blending folk styles from America, Ireland and Europe, the Athens-Greece hailing folk artist Grey River & the Smoky Mountain is set to break hearts as they broke borders with their latest single, Unlovable.

The sheer dedication to candour is striking; the way the lyrics run through in the same way as a depressive episode does is quite another. Admirably, there’s no twist to the melancholy after the hauntingly pitch-perfect admission that they’re not good enough to love. It is left to the banjo and the steel guitar to bring the upbeat energy while the vocalist and mandolinist, Rena Papageorgiou, ironically becomes infinitely loveable.

The official music video for Unlovable is now available to stream via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Singer-songwriter Kelsey Hughen takes us to the House on a Hilltop.

Posted on 19 August 2021

Classically trained Austin, Texas-born singer-songwriter Kelsey Hughen has released her latest cinematic Celtic folk single, House on a Hilltop; the semi-orchestral single captures Hughen’s genre-fluid at its most arcane.

The celestial timbre of the instrumentals sets a fantastical tone, as the lyrics yearn for an escape from the struggle of conformity with the one person that you can strip back the façade with unashamedly. House on a Hilltop is easily one of the sincerest love songs to hit the airwaves this year. The way it captures the security of love that frees us is just beyond beautiful.

House on Hilltop is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sink into “September” again with Brother Sea’s latest soulfully resolving Celtic Folk single

Posted on 27 September 2020
Brother Sea

South West Celtic Folk artist Brother Sea kindly gave us a sneak peek of their forthcoming single “September” and allowed us to the sink into the accordance of their soulful aural resolve ahead of the official release on October 24th.

There’s nothing which can parallel the ethereally phantasmal chill which creeps from Celtic tones. Yet, Brother Sea infused plenty of their passion, hunger and soul into the soundscape around the eerie tones. So that overall, September unravels as a captivating folklore-spilling soundscape.

Keep up to date with news of the release via Facebook, or head on over to Brother Sea’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Yana – Trapped in a Cage: Arcanely Baroque Celtic Folk

Posted on 12 April 2020

Folk singer-songwriter Yana’s latest single “Trapped in a Cage” is an enchantingly baroque orchestration which pairs cinematically theatrical instrumentals with poetically resonant lyrics.

The archaic soundscape may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But for anyone who finds favour in archaically beguiling singles, you’ll definitely want to make Trapped in a Cage a firm fixture on your playlists.

Since Yana made her debut in 2019 with her single Distant Shore, she’s garnered plenty of acclaim in Ireland and across Europe. With her debut EP due to be released in June 2020, we have no doubt that Yana is one to watch. Even though her Folk roots style is steeped in influence from the past, her lyrics are contemporary enough to ensnare you and lead you into anachronistic escapism.

You can check out Yana’s single Trapped in a Cage for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Folk Rock artist Ragged Road have released their latest single “I’ve Been Travelling”

Posted on 28 February 2020

Ragged Road created the perfect escapism music with their latest Folk single “I’ve Been Travelling” which was released on February 28th.

The concordant mellifluous rhythms in I’ve Been Travelling are accompanied by instantly captivating warm vocals which pull you through the meandering soundscape which oozes wanderlust vibes. I’ve Been Travelling may be a traditionally orchestrated Americana Folk Blues track, but magnetism found in nostalgia-inducing soundscapes will remain timelessly appealing.

Ragged Road made their debut in 2018, but they’ve already proven that they’re at the forefront of Alt Folk innovation. It’s going to be incredibly exciting to see where they take their uniquely Celtic sound next.

You can check out I’ve Been Travelling for yourselves by roaming over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cecilie – The Spell: A Sonorously Beguiling Orchestration of Celtic Folk

Posted on 2 May 2018

In 2018, there aren’t many Celtic Folk artists around creating timeless sounds, so thank god for Cecilie and her anachronistic take on soundscapes.

If you’re a fan of The Corrs, Sheryl Crow, Enya, Clannad and Alanis Morrissette, you’re going to want to check out Cecilie’s resounding aural style. There certainly is a reason why you hear Celtic Folk artists described as bewitching, there is simply no other word that can encompass their evocative charm, and Cecilie is no different. Her vibrantly soaring vocals sit poignantly above the sonorously orchestrated instrumentals. The domination of the violin throughout Cecilie’s latest track The Spell allows the single to create a resoundingly spectacular cacophony of sound that is all too easy to get caught up within. The lyrics to The Spell are as you’d expect, they’re romantically inclined, there were parts where I feared the track would venture into a track that you’d hear unfold in a Disney princess movie. Yet the iconic Celtic riffs kept the track fresh, organic, and steeped in acoustic analogue complete with magnetic grooves and pulses of sound which create surreal melodies.

Review by Amelia Vandergast