Solarference - Lips of Clay

Solarference have managed to fuse electronics and folk song without deterring from what is arguably at the heart of the music -the stories behind the songs. If anything, the electronics enhance the story and draw you into the world of each song - helped along by the stunning voices of Sarah Owen and Nick Janaway.

Each track layers up vocal sounds, harmonies and a plethora of percussive sounds to support the melodies, many of which will be familiar to listeners. Along with vocal sounds and body percussion, the duo use glass bottles, music boxes, pebbles, tin foil and seemingly many more items, each of which is cleverly manipulated to create a sonic world for each track.

Cold Blows the Wind is particularly haunting, with stuttering words and vocal sounds blending perfectly with the guitar to provide a hypnotic backing track to support Nick and Sarah’s crystal clear vocals. Ei Di’r Deryn Du, with its ethereal music box beginning and build up of vocal harmonies provides a beautifully delicate, yet slightly unsettling finale to the album.

Lips Of Clay is a stunning album, which seamlessly joins contemporary electronic music to traditional folk music. A word to the wise though - this album is definitely best enjoyed through a pair of quality speakers or headphones.