Folk Round-Up: Nordic fire, Irish Americana and English folk song

Eerie mysticism, Estonian cinematics, Irish Americana and some good old-fashioned earthy English folk song all feature in this month’s folk round-up, with a jaunt through the Midlands of England, the southwest coast of Ireland, and Estonia and Scandinavia (via Belgium and Glasgow).

Berlin-based Scottish/Irish musician Wyn Oran’s debut album An Angel, A Crowd (Mysteries of the Orb Records ***) offers a mesmerising listen. Haunting vocals, swooning mysticism and a heavy dose of melancholic romance imbues Oran’s soundscape. ‘The Flood’ is a warmly trippy track that effortlessly captures the album’s timeless, ethereal and occasionally freaky vibe. Guitar and bouzouki are well employed, occasionally accompanied by the ghostly whispers of tin whistle and mellotron. A wistful listen, like the lingering echo of a dream.

In contrast, The Windings of Their Wandering Song (Innocent Hare ****) – the long-awaited debut from Innocent Hare – offers a more earthy and traditional experience in the best possible way. A tribute to Northamptonshire peasant poet John Clare (1793-1864) the album by Midlands-based trio Jake Middleton-Metcalfe, his wife Chloe, and her father Andrew Metcalfe, delivers a richly authentic sound. Featuring concertina, fiddle, harp and guitar, the album draws from Clare’s music manuscripts, offering traditional tunes and songs, simply recorded and sensitively reworked. ‘Clare’s Maggot’ is a fine reel, while Chloe proves an atmospheric vocalist on ‘Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires’. A beautiful example of 19th-century tradition sensitively reinterpreted.

Glasgow band Tern – a collective of musicians from Scotland and Scandinavia – explore the shared musical heritage of these regions, as well as Shetland, on Flyway (Tern ***). Fiddle, bodhrán, guitar and piano blend into a fiery, exciting and energetic listen. Traditional tracks such as ‘Nighean Donn nana Gobhar’ and several jigs and reels sit alongside some fine new tunes. The closer, ‘Shetland Reels’, is a hoot. A thrilling cross-cultural journey with a distinctly Nordic flavour.

Accordionist and composer Hartwin’s new release, Unfolding (Trad Records ****), is a beautifully meditative and soothing listen. A collaboration between the Belgian-born Hartwin, conductor Gabriel Hollander and a classical string trio – Nicolas Dupont (violin), Clément Holvoet (viola) and Julius Himmler (cello) – the album subtly blends folk and classical elements with a distinctly cinematic ambience. Unfolding originated in Estonia, where Hartwin lived between 2015 and 2021, and there is a distinctive Baltic air present. Sink into the serenity of ‘When at Ease’ or drift away with the playful ‘Floating’. All rather gorgeous.

Last but not least, All That I Can Be (Wildflower Records ***) marks a confident debut for County Kerry multi-instrumentalist Lorraine Nash. Showcasing her skills on fiddle, flute, guitar, piano and tin whistle, Nash delivers a mature and well-considered selection of tracks. Traditional Irish folk features as does Americana. The single, ‘Carraig Aonair’, is a highlight, Nash’s first single recorded in the Irish language. Conchubhar Ó’Laoghaire’s song from the 1690s recounts the tragic true tale of the drowning at sea. Evocative and sorrow-filled, it’s beautifully and poignantly arranged. All That I Can Be presents Irish Americana at its finest.