Our Song of the Day is from Ian Humberstone, Ocean Paths to Palace is from his latest 7″ ‘Three Songs‘. The track also featured on our recent Friday Mix which you can listen to here.
“‘Three Songs’ is a collection of warm, flowing streams of classical guitar; trickles and trills of church piano; and insistent, minimal percussion evoking dérives into the countryside and city and faltering steps onto the stage. It was recorded by Ian onto half-inch tape in St. Andrew’s church, Stapleford, Cambridgeshire over three sessions in January 2012.
Ian explains:
‘The church dates to the twelfth-century and is situated in the village where I grew up. As a teenager I walked past it everyday on my way to college, and I always thought it would make a beautiful place record music – owing to its unique setting and rich, natural acoustics. The opportunity to record there presented itself in January 2012 and I soon found myself lugging a half-inch tape machine in and out of its vaulted entrance on dark, winter evenings. The sessions were, for the most part, recorded alone with one paltry heater for company; I would set up the gear, hit record, then jump in front of the mic to perform the take. I was joined now and again by Rob Waters (of the band The Great Bear), and Robin Spottiswoode (who collaborated with me in Tissø Lake), and it was a pleasure to have them lend their respective vocal and violin takes to the recordings.'”