Some Blue Sky by Swaying Wires was on heavy rotation a few months ago, but a re-visit is in order, because yesterday I finally bought a physical copy of the record from the local record store. This wonderful thing has certainly hold its charm and still sounds hauntingly beautiful. Swaying Wires is a local Turku-based alternative folk band whose debut album came out on UK-label Battle Worldwide Recordings earlier in 2014. This is the opener Blinding Nights from the album. If you live in the Turku area as yours truly, you can go and pick up a copy from 8raita (price wasn’t bad either).
Battle Wordwide Recordings also just released a new album that is magnificent. This one is called Plumes and the band who made it is Co-pilgrim from Southampton/Winchester. I’ve followed the front man Mike Gale for several years. I’ve liked pretty much everything he has done, but haven’t seen a need to start shouting his name from the rooftops. Now I’m not so sure anymore. This is good. This is so damn good and like made for my taste. Beautiful pop melodies and a bit of warm sounding americana. And the vocals. Oh my. I’m so totally into the vocals and harmonies. This sounds like heaven. This is Grew Into Something New from Plumes.
I Am Oak is a dutch folk band led by Thijs Kuijken. There’s also a really small Finnish connection. He recorded his previous album in Finland and it was called Nowhere or Tammensaari. His new album Ols Songd came out in early 2014 and it’s again something rather special. These might be old songs, but they all sound magical to me. I already ended one of those playlist with this song Birches, but this is such a great song that my heart demanded a replay.