From all indie genres, Folk seems to have a special place in our hearts. We can't help to get back to folk songs when we look for some calm and inspiration. When we want to hope for a nice dream. Or when we are feeling in the mood for some very well told stories. As an honour to those feelings, this series is entitled TIFU (Today I Folked Up). Only folk songs from new folk artists. To let you and ourselves go.
Eleni Drake – Guts
Eleni Drake independently released her widely adored debut EP ‘Vanilla Sky‘ in 2020 and her debut full length Can’t Stop the Dawn in 2021. In the years that have followed, she has cultivated a dedicated legion of fans; averaging 5 million streams a year on Spotify and over 6 million streams across her releases on YouTube.
Built upon an energising drum backbone is the album’s self-produced lead single and first taste Guts. Delivered with a vocal performance imbued with personality, her thoughtful production lets gorgeous layers of sound blur into each other like a sunset, a soft focus that puts her voice satisfyingly at the forefront of this ode to a partner who lifts her up at her worst.
Jack Ellis – Hair of the Dog
Jack Ellis, a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter from the southernmost point of South Wales, is an award-winning musician whose songs are crafted from real stories. His blues rock-influenced music features alternative production values and sharp hooks that will appeal to fans of The Black Keys, Gary Clark Jr., Rival Sons, Ben Howard and Jeff Buckley.
“Hair of the Dog” is his third album, recorded in Normandy, France. It was mastered by Pete Maher (U2, The Rolling Stones, Pixies), and Alcie Bela sings on it. The track was written about a friend whose drinking problem got him down.
Low Lying Sun – Low Lying Sun
Low Lying Sun, an Essex-based outfit, have announced plans for their new EP “Did You Mean It”, showcased by their eponymous lead single “Low Lying Sun“. Their debut EP “Hymn To Say Goodbye” received critical acclaim and was featured on several BBC and Spotify playlists. The new EP aims to reflect the progressive vision the band has been developing since their debut collection and promises bigger and more anthemic offerings that elevate their dynamic direction to date. They said, “Did You Mean It?” feels like the second chapter of the story told in our debut EP. The songs on both were written around the same time and share a lot of the same characteristics. Both are quite ambitious in the sound they try to achieve and both are very introspective.“
“Low Lying Sun” was the first song the band wrote together and it laid down the foundations of what they wanted the band to sound like. They have been extremely busy on the UK’s live circuit since the release of their initial EP, headlining events and supporting other bands on tour. The band is formed by frontman Michael Hemmings, guitarist Ross Connell, bassist Matt Chan, and drummer Noah Booth. Their music is lively and introspective, combining ambitious orchestrations, earnest storytelling, and an energy that feels at once both fresh and timeless. Their lyrics escape present disaster and search through nostalgia, inviting listeners to rejoice in the time and love that they’ve wasted, providing a commentary of loss over the band’s ambitious instrumentation.
Mary Middlefield – Band Aid
“We are fortunate to live in a time filled with singer-songwriters who turn their pain and joy of their personal lives into art. Mary Middlefied’s voice and vision are marked by the richness and complexity of her folkloric compositions mixing rock, pop and classical musical influences”. “Band Aid“, her latest release is a track straightforward to fall in love with due to the lyrical complexity and beauty all around. This is evident because of the softness, delicate vocals, and gorgeous acoustic guitar elements. There is subtleness all over, and there is love at every corner.
Megan Kennedy – Time Machines
“Time Machines” is a sun-drenched ballad that aims to capture the feeling of being caught in a daydream; a joyous time loop, or as the lyrics suggest “a crescendo stuck on repeat“. The debut single from Melbourne-based indie artist Megan Kennedy was partially written whilst gazing into the pacific ocean on holiday. Watching wave patterns rise and recede into endless forms, she wanted to distil this rare moment of bliss through song. Given the tumultuous years of the global pandemic following this intention feels ever more poignant.
Ascending slowly via a single guitar intro, the song carries this listener upwards and into a kind of dreamscape, gliding through the verse and then bursting into a multi-layered chorus. As delicate vocals and guitar lull, the song eventually fades out the listener is gently laid to rest.
Sam Hudgens – Time
Sam Hudgens, a songwriter and producer from Chicago IL, delivers his second single, “Time“. This beautifully crafted folk song is driven by an acoustic guitar, piano, and emotive vocals, accompanied by a soothing bassline. “Time” is a song about the healing powers of the time, and its lyrics and melodies perfectly capture the emotions associated with this theme. Time is the perfect addition to your morning routine, a chill afternoon soundtrack or a melancholic night companion. It is a must-listen for fans of acoustic-driven folk music and showcases Sam’s talent as a songwriter and producer
Silentide – Self Note
From Porto, João Freitas is getting ready to drop his debut under the alias Silentide, an artistic name that, when rolling off the tongue, points to a combination of ethereal beauty and slow, waving instrumental passages, joined together in a world of spring-like beauty. It’s a good name for a project – we can say that much.
Silentide’s latest single, “Self Note” – also the name of his debut record -, is an exploration of what makes his take on folk music rather interesting. It relies on the quiet, sentimental dynamics of the genre’s contemporary tropes, to build upon a sea of ambient and post-rock textures, relinquishing the influences of acts like First Breath After Coma or Noiserv in his music. It’s depressingly beautiful, cathartically depressing, a shock of ethereal quietness that fills our hearts with a breeze of endearing feelings.
Self Note drops on February 3rd after the release of three singles: “Uncertainty”, “Chaos & Order” and the here-presented “Self Note”.
Taylor Bradshaw – Unkind
Through introspective cabin retreats, emerging NYC-based singer/songwriter Taylor Bradshaw has honed in on his personal voice as an artist. During that time, he feels he has finally found his cohesive artistic vision, and has created a full length album that shifts to a soulful brand of indie folk-pop. Bradshaw’s music is not only self-expression for him, but he hopes to help others process their own emotions through his songs, bringing catharsis to both him and his listeners.
Releasing his admittedly “all over the place” debut album “Twine” in February 2020, he squeezed in a bunch of high-profile DIY house parties and club shows with some high energy full band rocking. Now, Taylor Bradshaw drops the first single off his upcoming EP, The Man I’d Rather Be.
Tommy Ashby – When Loves Goes Dark
Tommy Ashby is a Scottish musician and prolific writer with a distinct ability for capturing the innate beauty of everyday moments in his own euphony of ethereal sonics and hushed vocals.
Tommy has evolved his sound in a homemade studio experimenting with multiple instruments and recording techniques. His fascination with sound saw him complete a PhD in Psychoacoustics studying the mind’s response to sound and develop a unique partnership with Grammy-winning producer Sam Okell. Tommy’s musical graduation of listening to a diverse range of influences including Gillian Welch, Neil Young, James Blake and Jeff Buckley has led him to develop an appetite for a melodic and expansive sound that begins in the wilds of Scotland and comes to life in the clifftop coasts of Sam’s Cornwall studio.
Tommy announces his debut album “Lamplighter” due for release on March 3rd with an epic key single “When Love Goes Dark’”– a moody, atmospheric track about holding on to the good things when a loving relationship turns.
All these songs (and all previous songs featured in TIFU) are also featured on our folk playlist. Follow it on Spotify: