Songs Of Beginning & Belonging
31st January 2025 on Dauw (LP/DL)
Hello everyone,
Today I am announcing the release of a new album, Songs Of Beginning & Belonging. You can listen to the first piece entitled ‘Loshult’ in all the usual digital spaces. The album is also now available for pre-order on a limited run of vinyl.
The song is something of a tribute and a thank you to the Swedish village of Loshult, where I stayed in April 2023 for a short residency (thank you Raphael). It is where it began life, whilst playing around on the piano there and looping my voice through the PA speakers. Something about its spirit reminded me of how I often felt when first making music as a teenager, on the little 8-track my Dad gave to me.
Several years ago, after releasing the instrumental EP A Baleia, my friend Pieter from the label Dauw suggested that I make a full length album for them. It was always an idea in the back of my mind, but I was unsure if I could make something interesting and engaging enough, amongst the vast ocean of ambient music out there. So I always promised that I would only deliver them an album, once I finally felt I’d made something that seemed truly worthy of the attention and care I know they would give it.
Overall, it’s been many years in the making, if I include all the times I sat down to start it - only to scrap many different ideas or recordings. After a tremendously powerful ayahuasca ceremony earlier this year (something I’d considered very carefully for about 8 years, which I won’t go into here), the final parts of the album came together.
I often find myself perplexed and frustated and many peoples’ need to label people and art into neat little boxes. I grew up being mistaken for so many different nationalities and ethnicities, and the same has often applied to my experience in music.
I’m just a human that wants to feel free. That is the goal of my life. I try to feel and express that through music and I hope others may experience that too while listening. If I had to summarise the theme of ‘Songs Of Beginning And Belonging’ - it would be that.
Truth be told though, after completing Active Imagination in 2020, I thought that I’d never release any more ambient music again.
But…after the pandemic whirlwind of my dream record label deal coming to an unexpectedly sudden end (it closed down after 20 years) that I had tirelessly worked so many years to reach - and then trying to navigate a music industry in deep crisis, which involved another label signing getting blocked, contracts offered and then getting ghosted etc - it has been necessary to allow myself some time to heal and regather strength.
It’s a bit of a slow and ongoing mountain climb, to return to something as vulnerable as singing my hidden hopes and fears to thousands of people - but I promise that it is on the way. I will sing again soon.
Sometimes I feel scared that I might disappoint or confuse listeners, who want to hear more songs in the vein of Welcome Oxygen or Paralanguage. But I like to think of the music of Harp Swells and Songs of Beginning & Belonging to be an experience of healing. For me, and hopefully for anyone out there who needs it too.
From the very beginning, my intentions were always to make music as authentically as possible - however the sounds choose to express themselves - and I thank you with my whole heart for coming on the journey with me.
As for concerts: I wish for nothing more than to be able to tour once again and share spaces with you, together in person. I pray for that to happen again soon.
Until then, I will perform at ZDB in Lisboa PT on 27th February and will be accompanied by my dearest friend and violin extraordinaire, Beatrijs De Klerck. Tickets will be available within the next few days, so please check my website to order.
For those in Lisboa, we will be hosting a special listening session on Sunday 15th December, where you can hear the new album in full, at a beautiful location in Chiado.
Please email ‘candid (at) kleinrecords (dot) com’ with the subject heading ‘listening session’ and we will reply with the details! There are very limited spaces, so act fast if you want to come.
Thank you so much for your support,
Will
p.s. free Palestine.