Touch the Earth
CD by Hiraeth
Price £10, available from:
Merrymoon, Upper Mostyn Street, Conwy, Llandudno, LL30 2PE.
email: info [at] merrymoon [dot] co [dot] uk
review by H
I have been listening recently to a CD by a band called Hiraeth. Theyare Samantha (Sam) East – Vocals, and Richard Hopkins – Instruments. Both are practicing Pagans from North
Wales. To quote from the CD notes “from our “tinklings” at
our local moot we have evolved musically, composing simple yet emotive songs,
evoking memories and honoring our homeland”.
I
have listened to this CD several times now in the course of this review and it
is steadily growing on me with Richards’s very talented instrumentation and
Sams’s clear vocals
The
music on this CD has various styles – from chants and more classic folk to the
more rockier tracks which seem to be inspired by The Moody Blues and Mike
Oldfield and on track 9 Sam manages to sound like the greatly missed Kirsty
MacColl.
To quote again from the CD “the theme of this
album is longing in its myriad of forms. Whether it is for love, your homeland
or a united society, yearning can be the greatest muse”.
All in all a very interesting first
album by a very talented duo and well worth adding to your collection. I have
had an advance listen of their forthcoming CD – “Tales from the Ancient Realm”
and I enjoyed this one even more. It’s out towards the end of the year.
Further information about Hiraeth