Hearth is multi-instrumentalist Mairearad Green’s latest collection of five limited edition 12” singles, inspired by the women and landscapes of Coigach, a west coast peninsula in the Scottish Highlands where she grew up.
Each new single includes a bespoke cover design painted by Mairearad, combining her two passions – art and music – in this seamless progression from Mairearad’s 2016 album, ‘Summer Isles’.
Braving Coigach’s west coast weather to paint landscapes ‘en plein air’, Mairearad’s impressionistic style is an emotional response to the land where the women from her past trampled the same soil.
The title ‘Hearth’, (traditionally an integral part of any home) symbolises the warmth, light and nourishment of the art and music combined. It reflects the resilient, and spirited generations of women from the area, including those who resisted landlords during what became known as the Coigach Riots during the Highland Clearances.
Mairearad says:
“This has been the most rewarding and personal project I have ever worked on. To discover more about the women in my family and really value and celebrate the lives they lived through my art has been such a privilege.
“One of the tracks celebrates my Grandfather’s hardy mother, Jessie, a Black Isle local who wasn’t initially accepted in Coigach because she didn’t speak Gaelic and wore skirts above her ankles! She was apparently very clever and gained much respect after she returned a year later speaking perfect Gaelic.
“I wanted to bring these women to life through my paintings and my music, making these limited edition 12” singles a personal and bespoke piece of art.
“The five singles represent the five townships of Coigach, a hidden gem on the North Coast 500 where I’m from, that means ‘five fields’ in Gaelic.”
Watch the accompanying video for Coigach Lass below:
Mairearad’s art is deeply rooted in Coigach, a west coast peninsula in the Scottish Highlands where she grew up. Known for her instrumental prowess on the accordion and pipes, and as a well-known composer, Mairearad performs regularly with multi-instrumentalist Anna Massie and Scottish singer-songwriter King Creosote. She also performs with piping super group Tryst and composer Mike Vass, who worked with Mairearad to produce this project.
Producer Mike Vass uses a progressive approach to recording vocals, accordion and bagpipes and this is a new direction for Mairearad’s ever-evolving sound. ‘The Kelp Makers’ is an electronic pipe track using manipulated, almost unrecognisable mechanical accordion sounds, influenced by the likes of Jon Hopkins and Sigur Ross.
More details via:
mairearadgreen.co.uk
patreon.com/mairearadgreen
Please note there will only be a limited edition run of 250 of each single and the music will not be available for free streaming or download. The only way to hear this is to buy directly from the artist.