Single Review

Henry & Fleetwood – On The Forest Floor EP

• 13th Apr 2015

This is a gorgeous EP with four tracks of beautiful and melancholy sounding folk music that have strong emotional content, deep lyrics and lovely instrumentation. The new musical collaboration between singer songwriter Martin John Henry (De Rosa) and harpist Gillian Fleetwood (State Broadcasters).brings two Scottish musical talents together to produce a captivating sound.

After touring together with Danish songwriter Agnes Obel the pair decided to record together, and have come up with four linked, yet very different tracks. There is a clear sense of place throughout the EP; it has a very Scottish feel. Yet the themes of coming together and drifting apart, partnership and solitude, are universal.

Opener The Forest Floor sees Henry’s high vocals soar over acoustic guitar and harp. A synth swell adds depth to the melody giving a warm and rhythmic sound. Forestry has a more traditional folk feel, with Fleetwood’s vocals added to the mix to give a fuller sound to the chorus. Timber is largely instrumental, a vast range of sounds sitting beneath the lovely harp work and an ethereal vocal keening. It feels like a lament, indeed it could be a traditional melody brought very much up to date with layered instrumentation. Closing track A Perfect Mess is a melodic song that rises and falls, the stark instrumentation and fragile vocals combining well.

Henry and Fleetwood each bring considerable musical skills to their new partnership and this first release is hopefully the beginning of a fruitful alliance. The four tracks give a good introduction to the duo’s approach and the EP is easy to listen to with a nice sense of melody and of emotion throughout.

Venue: On The Forest Floor EP
Support Band: Olive Grove Records