This Autumn, Dorset-based folk band The Last Inklings (featuring Leonardo MacKenzie and David Hoyland, formerly of Kadia) are set to release their debut album.
Their first single, Hunter’s Folly (out on 1st June – pre-order via Bandcamp), is accompanied by an animated video, handmade in paper and felt by the band with character design and creation from model maker Lou Vickery, themed around nature and the supernatural. Hunter’s Folly turns the traditional song Hunting the Hare on its head. In this retelling, the hares survive, and the video tells the magical and cautionary tale of a poacher transformed into a hare and hunted and killed by his own hound.
It’s their exceptional vocal harmonies that take centre stage throughout this first single, with their acoustic sound, centred around cello and mandolin, expanded here with guitars, strings, percussion, and synth to provide a soft dreamy backdrop that lends itself perfectly to the unfolding tale. Even the look and materials used in the animation accentuate that gentle sound that works so well here.
The duo spoke about the background on the song, video and their new sound:
On the inspiration behind the song:
David – ‘The inspiration for Hunter’s Folly came from the traditional lyrics of Hunting the Hare which we’ve always enjoyed for its rhythmic meter and upbeat delivery. We wanted to capture something of that tune but don’t personally agree with the sentiment of the hunt. We’d been thinking for a while about writing a companion piece to a traditional song and felt that we could add something new to this one, and perhaps bring it more up to date. By writing from the perspective of the hares, we could get across an anti-hunt message much more clearly.’
On the video:
Leo – ‘Lockdown as an excluded person within the creative industry offered a lot of unexpected time, and that facilitated taking on the stop frame animation, from learning about the process of creating the sets and characters, to learning how to use the software to bring the creatures to life. Without that time to take the reimagined tale from imagination to story board and then finished product, it’s hard to picture being able to create such a detailed world.’
On the development and progression of their sound in this new record:
Leo – ‘With our debut EP Alchemy [released April 2020], we found ourselves in a unique position with the cello and mandolin at the core of our sound, and we started by exploring what could be done within the limits of those instruments and our voices. With Hunter’s Folly we’ve experimented with a rich layered sound that draws on our multi-instrumental capabilities, employing everything from guitar to synths as we create the soundworld as we imagined it during the writing process. Looking forward, we’re excited to keep folding these elements into our sound with our debut album release later this year.’
David – ‘The sound of Hunter’s Folly is a fuller arrangement than our previous recordings and having time during lockdown allowed us to experiment with demos in our home studio and play with new textures. The core of the song was written on our primary instruments of mandolin and cello, on top of which we’ve layered guitars, strings, percussion, and synth. The idea is to reflect the experience the hares undergo with changes in pace and tone, and take the listener along on this journey with them.’
For More Info and Upcoming Live Dates visit: https://www.thelastinklings.co.uk/