ALIO DIE & MARTINA GALVAGNI Eleusian Lullaby CD (Projekt)
Three elongated tracks making up a full length album of arty, filmic experimental soundscaping. Delicate and subtle, yet slightly discordant, melodies from archaic stringed instruments interweave with ambient drones, tinkling bells, and wordless vocals with Middle Eastern, medieval and folk touches, as well as sophisticated and evocative neoclassical vocals that are used as more of a focus of the track rather than the other styles that put in briefer appearances. Less song-oriented than many Projekt releases, but its ethereal nature, coupled with the slightly dark take on folk/world/classical music, fits right in with much of the label's other output. Combining elements familiar from the ambient/drone/experimental genre with creative, intellectual ideas of their own, the album is relaxing yet slightly unsettling at times, and goes beyond music and into the realms of aural art. More info at www.projekt.com

VARIOUS The Projekt 2008 Sampler CD (Projekt)
Budget priced sampler of current Projekt artists, featuring the ethereal dreampop of Tearwave and Autumn's Grey Solace; neoclassical music with flute, piano and sophisticated operatic-tinged vocals from Mirabilis; a superb Dead Can Dance inspired piece from Arcana; a track from Lux Interna who make impressive neofolk with some similarities to Backworld; Revue Noir who are perfectly named with their sleazy but sophisticated dark cabaret music; the inimitable tongue-in-cheek folk/mariachi/ska/theatrical music with its sick and twisted lyrics from who else but Voltaire; otherworldly guitar and vocal soundscaping from Alio Die and Martina Galvagni; electronic ambient music from Steve Roach; an innovative mix of dreampop and experimental electronica from Chandeen; an impressive track from All My Faith Lost... which straddles the boundaries between neoclassical, neofolk and dreampop; and Attrition team up with Emilie Autumn for a dramatic and experimental take on the Christian hymn Rock of Ages. A fine compilation that shows dark music encompasses far more than just standard gothic fare and actually manifests itself in many forms. More info at www.projekt.com

ARCANA Raspail CD (Kalinkaland)
Latest album from this well-established Swedish dark medieval/folk band. They are often compared to Dead Can Dance, and not without reason, with their dark take on medieval music, their use of hammered dulcimer and Middle Eastern style drumming, and a similar deep male vocal style, but here their music is at times rather more doom-laden than DCD, for instance the ominous-sounding orchestral parts in Abrakt, Autumnal and Circumspection. They also introduce some neoclassical piano into various tracks, which is quite unlike anything I've ever heard from DCD. Like DCD their tracks interchange between the deep male vocals as mentioned above and female vocals, on this album from two different singers, but both of these have a style very unlike that of Lisa Gerrard. Arcana are rather more overtly gothic than DCD and with less emphasis on medieval and world music, although those influences are certainly still detectable here, especially in Parisal, a very impressive medieval style instrumental sure to delight DCD fans. Lost in Time is a very strong song-oriented track combining the sophisticated vocal style of Peter Bjärgö with impressive medieval instrumental touches.
There are clear differences between Arcana and Dead Can Dance, but also clear similarities, and anyone who misses the work of DCD could do a lot worse than investigate what Arcana have to offer. More info at www.kalinkaland.de

CHANDEEN Teenage Poetry CD (Kalinkaland)
Starting with a dreamlike and slightly unsettling ambient/experimental piece, the following tracks then reveal the main sound of this band which is a kind of sophisticated pop music with nods towards dreampop and electronica. Shoegazerish washes of atmospheric noise form a tapestry of sound with piano, acoustic guitar, drums, electronic effects, speech samples and classy, strong vocals from Julia Beyer. Often bands coming out of the dreampop scene don't really add anything new to the style - their stuff is great for fans of dreampop who miss the original 90s bands, but they're not really adding anything much of their own. However Chandeen retain the atmospheric elements of dreampop whilst adding a strong sense of creativity and a willingness to diversify their sound with influences from outside of the dreampop genre, as variant as dance music and neoclassical. There is a 'secret' hidden track here which is totally unlike the usual throwaway stuff bands hide away as secret tracks, being a very well crafted piano-based song with experimental soundscaping and guest vocals from the very talented singer Anji Bee. More info at www.kalinkaland.de

VARIOUS John Barleycorn Reborn: Dark Britannica double CD (Cold Spring)
Cold Spring, a label more often associated with extreme noise, dark experimental music and so forth, has teamed up with the (sadly now defunct) folk music download website Woven Wheat Whispers to release this fantastic collection of traditional and traditional-inspired folk, as well as some more experimental takes on the genre. The sleeve notes explain that they are using 'dark' to mean hidden and unacknowledged rather than relating to a dark style of music, so if you're expecting a sort of folk/goth crossover, you won't find much of that here (except for a handful of isolated examples).
As a huge fan of modern interpretations of traditional folk, as well as a long-time supporter of underground music, I find it very encouraging that there is so much intriguing and engaging folk music emerging from the underground. At a massive 33 tracks, there are too many songs here to discuss every one in depth, but a few highlights include The Horses of the Gods' percussion-heavy rendition of the old traditional song John Barleycorn; The Owl Service doing a very moving version of the traditional North Country Maid; Damh the Bard's very catchy pagan folk song Spirit of Albion; Mary Jane, a 70s-style electric folk band in the vein of Steeleye Span, Trees, Flibbertigibbet or prime-period Fairport, doing the well-known traditional number Twa Corbies; Andrew King's brooding and mournful version of Dives and Lazarus; Sieben's innovative track Ogham on the Hill, best described as experimental folk; Sharron Kraus' Horn Dance, a superb medieval-inspired number that wouldn't sound out of place on Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band's Hang Up Sorrow & Care album; Charlotte Greig and Johan Ashterton's sparse acoustic rendition of Lay the Bent to the Bonny Broom; Pumajaw's astonishing atmospheric take on The Burning of Auchindoun, that combines spacey indierock with folk; Peter Ulrich (ex-Dead Can Dance) with his brilliant medieval-style track The Scryer and the Shewstone; Alphane Moon's Where the Hazel Grows, which combines sparse acoustic folk with spacey drones.
English Heretic's Hippomania treads the fine line between genius and insanity with a warped mix of folk, noise and stream of consciousness ranting; Tinkerscuss appear here with a beautiful rendition of Lal Waterson's To Make You Stay; The Purple Minds of Lazeron's Dragonfly is a great psych-folk instrumental; Sand Snowman do beautiful psych-folk with vocal harmonies; long running underground psych-folk and folk-pop band The Kitchen Cynics appear here with The Guidman's Ground, from the darker and psychier side of their output; Clive Powell's Reed Sodger is a creative mix of traditional folk and electronic experimentation; Drohne's Nottamun Town combines folk with spacerock/psych instrumentation and deep, dramatic gothic vocals; Stormcrow's Gargoyle is an acoustic track that melodically and lyrically encapsulates the description 'dark folk'; While Angels Watch's Obsidian Blade is more dark than folk, a sort of doom-laden gothic rock with acoustic elements.
An absolutely essential compilation, highly recommended for anyone even remotely curious about the various manifestations of underground folk music. Available from www.coldspring.co.uk

FIT & LIMO Astralis CD (September Gurls)
Well-established German psychedelic folk duo Fit & Limo present 18 tracks, mostly their own compositions, plus a handful of traditional songs and an Alex Campbell cover. Using an extensive array of instruments including mandolin, banjo, sitar, bouzouki, dulcimer, violin, autoharp, harmonium, mellotron, recorder, kazoo, melodica, clarinet, glockenspiel and others, the album incorporates mystical sitar music, strange folky songs in the vein of the Incredible String Band, laid back psychey folky pop, and medieval tinged traditional music. Wind Whispers is an excellent intelligent combination of late 60s folk-pop, bluegrass, spacey sound effects and Middle Eastern style percussion. The Moon Shines Bright, The Snow It Melts The Soonest and Down In Yon Forest are superb renditions of traditional songs, combined with psychedelic instrumentation. Lucky Boat is quirky psych-pop with piano and Jew's harp. Astralis feeds a tinkling music box through an effects machine for maximum psychedelic effect. A truly beautiful and creative album, available from www.septembergurlsrecords.com

THE SMELL OF INCENSE Of Ullages and Dottles CD (September Gurls)
This latest album from Norwegian psych band The Smell of Incense comes packaged within brilliant artwork by Gunhilde Langerud, featuring fox, squirrel and badger druids! Here the band set poems by various poets, mostly from the 19th and early 20th century, to music. Bumbles & Dragons by Cicely Mary Barker is a multifaceted piece, incorporating psych-rock, folk and baroque. William Blake's Laughing Song is set to a mix of laid-back psych-folk, Sgt Pepper-era Beatles borrowings and spacey background burblings. Where Forlorn Sunsets Flare and Fade by William Ernest Henley is interpreted as astonishing psych-folk with Spanish guitar, military drumming, sitar, retro-futuristic synth and woodwind. Song by Richard Watson Dixon is a delicate psych-folk song with hints of 60s soft pop as performed by bands like The Free Design. Gentle countryside sounds of birdsong and babbling brook are combined with flute and light jazzy guitar.
The Golden Knot by George MacDonald features harpsichord, cello, more nods towards Sgt Pepper, meandering psych guitar soloing, a filmic orchestral section, even some surf guitar. The Haunted Chamber by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is presented as classy 60s-ish folk-pop. Well In It is based around a quirky and surreal poem from the 1970s by Lady June, which is set to multifaceted instrumentation that jumps around at all sorts of unexpected tangents. Mervyn Peake's Of Pygmies, Palms & Pirates is where the album's bizarre title comes from. The piece is a creative juxtaposition of folky psychpop and hard-edged spacerock sections, which then diverts into an instrumental piece from the more experimental/ambient side of spacerock. A brilliant album that is eclectic yet cohesive, and full of creative ideas. Available from September Gurls as above.

PHILIP BUTLER Trapped at Sea CD (Sawmill/Steelmill)
I've noticed an interesting development over the last few years, in that a lot of artists and labels formerly associated with indie/noisepop have been moving towards folk music. With some it could just be a case of bandwagon jumping, as it seems like the fashion police no longer think folk is uncool - but in many cases it appears these people have gravitated towards folk completely independently of each other and not because they want to be part of a scene. This phenomenon is particularly interesting for me as my own taste in music started shifting away from indiepop, noisepop and related styles towards folk music a few years ago, so I find it interesting that a lot of others have been heading in a similar direction.
I mention this because Philip Butler is one such artist. Previously involved with noisepop, indierock and post-punk outfits including Toyskin and A Series of Wheels, he has now gone solo (with some guest performances from other artists for backing vocals and additional instrumental overdubs), opting for a more acoustic sound that successfully and seamlessly blends the less noisy side of indie music with influences from traditional British and occasionally American folk.
Painfully Slow combines the more adventurous side of indie music with folk and angular prog touches. To Fly A Plane is mainly old-school indiepop, but the addition of lap steel and some of the guitar style used in this track gives it an American folk touch. Rising River, a song about flooding and its accompanying chaos, is a mandolin and guitar-led piece with a strong influence from British trad folk. It's Been Long Enough is dark, melancholic and slightly off-centre indiepop with some unusual use of mandolin and folky backing vocals.
Trapped at Sea is a traditional song, very impressively performed with mandolin and organ. Save Us deals with the grim reality of coastal erosion, set to a creative musical blend of folk, blues, and something much more off-kilter. Raise a Flag is an inventive mix of angry post-punk, drawn-out spacey guitar effects, Spanish-tinged acoustic guitar, and other pretty much uncategorisable bits; I don't know of anyone else making music quite like this.
Philip Butler hasn't completely left behind his indie roots, so this is not an album for folk purists, but for those who appreciate both forms of music, there is a lot to like here. Philip's own compositions show a great deal of originality, and his superb rendition of the traditional song Trapped at Sea makes me curious as to what a complete album of traditional music from this artist would sound like. More info at www.philipbutler.co.uk

STORMCROW Celtic Twilight CDR (self released)
Stormcrow are a predominantly acoustic pagan folk trio, comprising vocalist and instrumentalist Mark Hadlett, and two singers, Amanda Hadlett and Sarah Jay, one of whom has a softer singing voice while the other's voice is more dramatic, gothic and at times quite harsh and punky. Lyrically, the songs vary from those that are celebratory in tone, exploring Celtic paganism, nature and the changing seasons, whilst others are darker, in a 'gothic novel' sort of way. Then there are those that explore issues such as the watering down of paganism by those who get involved for superficial reasons and court publicity (Media Witch) and the idea of war promising glory but giving the soldier a squalid life in a muddy trench and being forgotten after his death (The Misspelt Memorial). The mood is lightened for the happy-go-lucky song Black Cat and her Witch - anyone with any experience of cats will see why it's the cat that owns the witch and not the other way around! Additional electric guitar is introduced for the forceful folk-rock track Cuckoo in the Nest, while the core trio are joined by a full band on the final track Monks of Satan, which combines 70s-ish folk-tinged rock with supernatural horror lyrics. Raw and unpolished, just as true folk music almost always is, this album is well worth checking out by anyone seeking an often dark folk music with pagan sentiments. Further info at www.stormcrow-online.co.uk

AUTUMN'S GREY SOLACE Ablaze CD (Projekt)
Fifth album from this prolific dreampop duo. In Endlessly, the song itself is the sort of upbeat pop that would sound at home in the repertoire of any 60s or mid 80s janglepop band, but Autumn's Grey Solace add atmospheric shoegazer instrumentation that prevents the track from sounding too sugary. Into the Stream combines laid-back floaty dreampop with jazz. Eternal Light is quite simply majestic - a really beautiful and moving atmospheric pop song. A Rhythm that Writhes is much darker in tone than the rest of the album, introducing heavy rock and gothic elements alongside the band's usual shoegazer sound. Imaginary Grey combines sombre lyrics with a light and playful melody and jangly pop arrangement. Angelspeak is a wonderfully evocative piece with echoey choral-style vocals. A very fine dreampop album, recommended to all who appreciate this genre. More info at www.projekt.com

KATZENJAMMER KABARETT Grand Guignol & Variétés CD (Projekt)
Very far from the ethereal and/or medieval-influenced bands more often associated with Projekt; Katzenjammer Kabarett are purveyors of quirky experimental pop juxtaposing all manner of previously unrelated genres from 80s electropop to sombre neoclassical. Macabre lyrics coexist with an upbeat arrangement bringing together elements of punk, lo-tech keyboards and glockenspiel in 10 Years, whilst Percy Has Returned features sultry crooning over the top of a warped mix of atonal, angular experimentation and janglepop. Sunlight Sanatorium is a dark, weird, theatrical number that flies off at all sorts of strange tangents. Once Eliot Turned Ugly In His Lover's Bed tells a tale both grim and absurd over a backdrop of glitchy homemade techno and ominous keyboard effects. A mass of contradictions, being simultaneously poppy and avant-garde and harking back to the 80s whilst sounding completely new. Info at www.projekt.com

CLEAR BLUE SKY Gateway to the Seventh Dimension CD (Stargaze International)
Lavishly presented album in card gatefold sleeve with thick booklet of lyrics and artwork, out on Stargaze International, an offshoot of Stone Island Records. Clear Blue Sky make 70s-inspired rock with prog, blues, spacerock and psych elements, and mystical lyrics delivered by powerful vocalists Maxine Marten and Kraznet Montpelier. Occasionally the band venture into more freeform territory with spacey ambient pieces. An album refreshingly free from fad and fashion - only clear signs that the band are firmly devoted to, and completely immersed in, their chosen style of music. More info at www.stoneislandrecords.com

THE KITTIWAKES Lofoten Calling CD (Midwich)
A while ago I enthused about Kate Waterfield's astonishing Runa Megin album, a true masterpiece exploring the Nordic runes. Since then, Kate (now known as Kate Denny) has formed The Kittiwakes, whose debut album Lofoten Calling continues to demonstrate Kate's passion for Scandinavian culture. Firmly immersed in the traditional music of Britain and Norway, the material here sounds authentically traditional in terms of the music and lyrics, and the arrangements which are based around instruments such as violin, mandolin and accordion. The music is superbly crafted and easily in the same league as any of the big name folk artists.
Weaver is a reflective, introspective song set in the Viking age, told from the perspective of a weaver of ship sails, holding on to all hope that her beloved will return safely from sea. Hurtigruten is an ode to the Norwegian passenger liner, part sea shanty and part Regency-era country dance. Lofoten Calling is an a cappella piece in which beautiful vocal harmonies are provided by all the band members. The plaintive love song Sailor Song is followed by the carefree tale of legendary shepherd Ole Petter, set to a lively waltz rhythm. Rowan, Birch and Cloudberry is a very fine instrumental that merges a 19th century style country dance tune with touches of baroque and mournful folk. Fisherman is a beautiful ballad that sounds in every way like an authentic traditional piece. The Arethusa is inspired by the ship Kate's grandfather served on during World War II, which was involved in action at the Lofoten Islands. The upbeat waltz rhythm masks bleak lyrical sentiments of icy cold weather conditions and a longing to return home from war.
As I share The Kittiwakes' fascination with old-school folk music and Scandinavian history and folklore, I can really identify with the music here. This is by far the most exciting album I've heard in a while and I will certainly be keeping a look out for any future offerings from this band. More info at www.thekittiwakes.com and www.midwich-cuckoos.co.uk

PETER BJÄRGÖ A Wave of Bitterness CD (Kalinkaland)
Solo album from Peter Bjärgö of Arcana. In some ways this album is a departure from the music I would usually associate with Arcana, focusing on dark, filmic, neoclassical instrumental music and occasional nods towards the ethereal/shoegaze style. The more song-oriented tracks have more in common with Arcana, and Arcana's primary influence Dead Can Dance, with world music style percussion and the deep, dramatic vocals of Peter Bjärgö, whose voice is very reminiscent of that of Brendan Perry. In Useless Retrospective is an atmospheric and quite experimental piece with vocal murmurings; A Choice of Silence is a song-based gothic track; Insomnia is a very beautiful instrumental best described as 'shoegaze-folk'; VI brings together a tribal rhythmic structure and doom laden gothic synth; Imprisonment of Mind is an excellent medieval-tinged track reminiscent of Dead Can Dance. As the above shows, there is quite a lot of variety on this album and a refusal to stick to one formula, but it comes together in a coherent whole, the thread of commonality being the dark atmosphere and fatalistic, pessimistic and melancholic lyrics. More info at www.kalinkaland.de

JO GABRIEL Fools and Orphans CD (Kalinkaland)
I have here the limited edition self released version, but the CD has since been issued on a wider scale by Kalinkaland. Jo Gabriel is often compared with Kate Bush, and not completely without reason as her voice has some similarities, and both artists share the same kind of individualistic spirit. The songs on Fools and Orphans are sophisticated and intelligent, with instruments more often associated with classical music, such as piano, cello, tympani and trumpet, and lyrics that are true works of poetry. The music has an off-kilter quality that may be too challenging for some listeners, but for anyone who appreciates music with a strong sense of intellect and creativity, existing outside the confines of fashion trends, Jo Gabriel is a recommended artist. More info at www.kalinkaland.de and www.jogabriel.com

SAINT JOAN The Wrecker's Lantern CD (Camera Obscura)
Collective of musicians from England, Hungary and France, led by songwriter Ellen Mary McGee. The music is decidedly unfrivolous, drawing lyrical inspiration from assorted highbrow novelists, with violin and piano adding to the sophisticated atmosphere. The press release draws comparison to artists like Nick Cave, the Tindersticks and Tom Waits, but what I'm hearing (particularly on the first part of the album) is more of a blend of British and American folk, 80s jangly indiepop, and a touch of 60s psych-pop. I'm even reminded at times of The Sea Urchins by some of the guitar work on this album. The second part of the album is perhaps more diverse, with less emphasis on folk or straightforward janglepop. Fire At Sea incorporates some rockier musical touches and a rather more dark and brooding atmosphere; Gone is a drawn-out and atmospheric number; Every Street Light is a slice of classy balladry that sounds believably close to being a cover version of some mainstream track from the 60s or 70s; and December intersperses spoken vocals with a soul/pop song that again sounds rather commercial but without being shallow. The final track, Untitled, fits squarely within the country genre. The album is therefore very diverse, but all the songs hold together coherently, avoiding falling into the 'unfocused mishmash' trap. As someone who got seriously involved in music via the old-school indiepop scene and has over the years become more engrossed in folk music, there is a lot for me to like here. Since this album came out, Ellen Mary McGee has gone solo; her album The Crescent Sun will be reviewed here shortly. In the meantime, visit the Camera Obscura site for more info on The Wrecker's Lantern: www.cameraobscura.com.au

ELLEN MARY McGEE The Crescent Sun CD (Midwich)
Solo album from Ellen Mary McGee, formerly of Saint Joan. The music combines sophistication and an off-kilter sensibility, juxtaposing fragile minimal instrumentation with a strong, assertive vocal style. It's essentially folk, in the modern and usually American influenced sense. There are psychedelic undercurrents (A Watch of Nightingales) and excursions into country territory (Upon Death and Dying, Theseus). He Is No Earthly Man is a dark, brooding banjo/violin led piece with shades of Sixteen Horsepower. Teeth of the Hydra is impassioned, melancholic and intelligent, bringing some off-centre synth sounds together with the raw banjo. The Fatal Flower Garden is an update of the traditional Scottish ballad Little Sir Hugh (also known as Hugh of Lincoln) in terms of its subject matter, but as with most of the rest of the album, the music itself draws from more recent American folk. Minimal banjo again forms the backdrop for a grim tale of suicide in The Wintering. In many ways a raw, dark and unsettling album, but also with a refined, elegant feel and a sense of intellect and education as seen in the often literary-style lyrics and references to Greek mythology. More info from Midwich at www.midwich-cuckoos.co.uk

LISA HAMMER Dakini CD (Projekt)
Solo album from vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Lisa Hammer, also known for her work with Mors Syphilitica and Requiem in White. Inspired by the Tantric concept of the Dakini, it was Lisa's intention for this album to create music for ritual, meditation and sex. The music is a meeting of ancient and modern, with 12th century hymns set to stark ambient soundscaping, and sitar-laden Eastern mystical chants combined with electronic and experimental music. The Valley of Unrest sets Edgar Allen Poe's words to a superb ethereal melody and arrangement with angelic choral backing vocals. Yaksha combines frenetic tribal drumming with that slightly atonal modern classical music and otherworldly wordless vocals. Sometimes with dark, unsettling undercurrents, but always deeply atmospheric and imaginative. Further info at www.projekt.com

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