Haunting, fragile, sublime lo-fi melancholia, atmospheric, lazy grace, spectral folk with a distinctly British sound.…some of the words used to describe the music of Laurence Collyer, a reclusive artist who writes, records and performs music and folk-song using the rather grand moniker, The Diamond Family Archive.
Holed up in a converted garden shed in rural Devon, you can find The Diamond Family Archive creaking and coaxing songs from detuned guitars and relative solitude. Personal and pastoral themes are mixed with sleepy-eyed awe to create sparse and fluttering arrangements. The sounds of the rain, the old mill leat outside the door and the ever present ominous rookery in the nearby slate quarry all make it onto tape.
The Diamond Family Archive have quietly released records, tapes and CDs through a handful of labels scattered around the world (UK, America, Denmark, Germany and Ireland), the last couple of years alone have seen 5 albums, 15 EPs, a host of short films, numerous field recordings and several collaborations.
Free Download
Laurence has kindly offered our listeners a free download of an EP he released in April.
(It says by donation, but he is happy for you not to pay for this release)
Also this: The Diamond Family “Archive” – Rook Songs . 5 recordings posted every month, 12 months in a year, 60 songs. We did the math(s)! These 5 songs are meant as a taster for what is available here to listen to: thediamondfamilyarchive.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/2011-ep-project-12-x-5-60.html
Broadcast Schedule – UK Time Zone
First Broadcast Sunday 9th June 2013 @ 5pm
Then repeated on the following:
Monday: @ 2am
Wednesday: @ 9pm
Friday: @ 1pm
www.thediamondfamilyarchive.com
www.simplefolkradio.com