Browsing Tag

Celtic Folk

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