Sam Sweeney & Louis Campbell - Shapes

After the acclaimed Solo, fiddler and two times winner of the Bright Young Folk Readers’ Choice Award Sam Sweeney comes back to the 15th century octagonal St. Martin’s Church in Stoney Middleton to record the second EP of his project.

If the first chapter in this series saw just him and his fiddle basking in the magnificent acoustics of the building, here he teams up with his long-time collaborator Louis Campbell. The title of the EP, Shapes, reflects the structure of the entire work. Taking material from old sources, mainly 18th century material, they ignore or modify time signatures and other features, making these fascinating old tunes their own.

Apart from the very expressive Psalm, all the other five tracks are just titled Shape, numbered and named by their key. Despite their similar names, they represent a wide range of tonalities and emotions.

With his trademark lightness of touch, Sweeney has once again produced some thoughtful and refined recordings. Meanwhile Campbell’s contribution is not merely an accompaniment, but an atmospheric counterpoint that enriches the overall sound with the warm timbre of his electric guitar.

Another EP in this series, another evocative musical experience. Who will be Sweeney’s companion for the next chapter of this adventure?