Browsing Tag

European Folk

Step into a spiritual awakening with DORA GOLA’s alt-folk séance, Humble Your Eyes

DORA GOLA’s latest single, ‘Humble Your Eyes’, is a mesmerising journey into the heart of alt-folk, infused with a deep spirituality that resonates with every note. Born in Poland and blossoming in Ireland, DORAG GOLA’s unique blend of Eastern European folk and traditional Irish folk testifies to her profound connection with music and nature.

The track begins with percussion that awakens something primal within the listener, a call to the roots of human existence. The arcane elements of European folk music add a layer of mystique, enhancing the transcendence of her vocal lines which ascend endlessly to deliver a slice of salvation for the soul and an invitation to attune oneself to the mystical allure of nature.

GOLA’s journey from a childhood steeped in a diverse musical heritage to her immersion in Irish culture and mythology has culminated in this hauntingly beautiful single. Her voice, a powerful and sensual force, draws listeners into a narrative of Earth’s consciousness and human longing. The fusion of Slavic folk, brooding synths, and lavish Eastern sounds reaches the epitome of alt-folk innovation. Do your psyche a favour and hit play.

Humble Your Eyes will drop on March 29th; check out the single on DORA GOLA’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ensemble Voyagers took us far out and back in time with their latest medieval folk single, Ductia

If Americana is the first thing that springs to mind when you hear the word folk, the open collective of folk purveyors and traditionalists, Ensemble Voyagers, with their medieval music creations, will show you there is plenty more to the genre.

Ensemble Voyagers, led by Daniele Montagner who started the ensemble in 2017, may be a complete antithesis to Heilung in terms of the atmospheres and sonic aesthetics, but the two truly traditional outfits achieve the same end goal of evoking history through melody.

Their latest single, Ductia, strips away the past few centuries to immerse you in a vibrant flute and trombone-driven production. The effortlessly jovial quintessential folk instrumental release is the kind of soundscape our European ancestors would use to mark an occasion for celebration or tavern revelry; European folk roots rarely get as deep as this; dig in.

Stream Ductia on YouTube and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

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