While Wild Waters may only be their second release, Sheffield-based Auka‘s multi-talents create an aura of beauty by merging the Irish flute and whistles of Kirsty Lomax with the acoustic guitar of Matt Gilchrist and Joss Mann-Hazell’s double bass (of Mishra). There are additional forays by Ford Collier on percussion and wordless vocals by Alex Lyon (also of Mishra) and Alex Roberts on a few tracks, but it’s the light, deft touch of the band that stands out across this album. While they clearly draw on traditional music, their playing has a more contemporary edge and feel, inspired by their passion for the natural world around them and a deep love for wild swimming.
Opening with a gentle guitar, Wild Waters envisions the headlands of a river, gaining power as it flows downhill. Inspired by the Right to Roam movement, Trespass envisions the beauty of going off paths as one moves freely on open-access lands. You can hear the joy of bounding through these spaces, moving wherever one is motivated to go rather than being hindered by the boundaries of private ownership.
Envisioning the glories of summer’s sun, Solstice is a freewheeling journey at the equinox. Lomax uses her flute to provide the melody, while the jazzy bass of Mann-Hazell adds an edge to the freedom and fun when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Rather than having straightforward melodies, Wild Waters mirrors the natural surroundings of rivers and streams with a constantly changing landscape, creating views that spark the imagination.
Taking its name from one of Sheffield’s most striking waterways, Rivelin depicts a reclaimed area where dippers and herons fly amongst the ruins of derelict industrial mills. While the longing guitar establishes a piece that seems to reflect the area’s long-forgotten history, the flute also evokes moments of glory as the birds take flight.
Throughout Wild Waters, Auka create notes that reflect nature’s glory and tunes like Getaway are like a clarion call to act now – enjoy and protect those precious areas but also highlighting the need to create more of these rewarding spaces.
Merging moments of traditional folk with forays into jazz and beyond, Auka, fuelled by their passion for rewilding and the Right to Roam movements, reminds us not only of nature’s beauty and how this is so easy to miss as we move through the world, marching to beats that have become regimented but also the need to act now in order to protect these beautiful spaces.
Taking the time to listen and observe the waterways, there is still much to learn from the Wild Waters.
Order Wild Waters via Bandcamp: https://auka.bandcamp.com/album/wild-waters
Website: https://www.aukamusic.co.uk/
Explore more about:
Rewilding: https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/
Right to Roam: https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/