Musician, songwriter and poet, Aeryn takes an atmospheric alt Folk adventure on Othala.

Release Date: 27th April 2024

Label: Bandcamp

Format: CD / digital

The social media tags ‘whistlyaeryn’ and ‘aerynloops’ might give a clue as to what to expect from Othala. There may be Folk influences, or indeed, a Folk core, but the ambient sounds and spoken word and poetry take Othala into another world.

“This is not a rallying cry” – the opening words to No Man’s Sky, certainly carry a fire and passion about what she terms “our disenfranchised nation.” It provides a segue into a subtle percussive banjo in Chronik;Iconik where the organic ambience takes over and take a more sprightly with a pulsing beat and multitracked voices. The dance of the flute (or possibly wooden whistle) adds to the rustic vibe.

That whistlyaeryn persona looms large although the contrast that concludes with the “feed my landlord’s dreams with my tin of beans” line and where heather and conches sit alongside internet memes is a reminder of the emotion and grit that looms similarly large. A hypnotic air carries both Ivy and the dreamy title track with a hint of Celtic jiggery about it, while Mercury’s Repose takes a stark piano figure (plus ‘noises’)

The power of the written and spoken word is highlighted in Power:Discussed. The notion in the final line – “power lies within, and I’m reclaiming mine” concludes a series of observations of the simple things, such as as the right to eat frozen peas. You can even imagine Simon Armitage’s Yorkshire drone on the opening lines – “I do not wish to sow seeds of division, With a vision of a wanderer’s mission.” Proof enough that Othala is a place that’s well worth escaping to.

Here’s the Soundcloud demo of Ivy:

Aeryn online: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Soundcloud

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