Pagan folk music on Irish harp,  inspired by the dark recesses of Irish folklore – a clutch of phrases lifted from the Joy Shannon online presence that summarise her unique appeal. Joy recently released her  In The Forest Singing Sorrowless album inspired by author J.R.R. Tolkien’s poetry and featuring performances by Tolkien’s granddaughter Ruth, Heilung vocalist Maria Franz, and Osi And The Jupiter’s Kakophonix.

Her original compositions accompany Tolkien’s beautiful words, is set to be followed by an instrumental rendition of the same record on 21st November 2025, through Royal Tea and Fiadh Productions.

Joy now joins u for a Why I Love on the neo-folk band from Kent, Ohio, Osi & The Jupiter, consisting of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Sean Kratz and celloist Kakaphonix.

ENTERING THE IMAGINATIVE SPACE

The band I would like to write about is one of my absolute favourites: Osi & The Jupiter. They are a dark folk band with compositions in guitar and cello. I first heard them when they came up online when I had been listening to one of my other favourite bands Heilung. I first heard their song Baldur and its soaring cellos and otherworldly ambience really captured my imagination. 

As a musician, the best music to me is what makes me get into the imaginative space that I need to be in to write music myself. Osi & The Jupiter’s music taps into something deep in my soul. Listening to it is akin to walking through an old growth forest and dreaming. I absolutely love everything they’ve recorded and I often listen to it all day when I am tattooing or drawing. Their music has become a familiar friend and soothing inspiration for my art. 

MAGICAL AND MYSTICAL

A few years ago, I reached out to the band to see if they would collaborate with me on my last album and I was expecting to not hear back. But instead, Sean Kratz, the singer and songwriter from Osi &The Jupiter, replied and said he would! I literally danced around my house and was absolutely glowing when I heard Sean’s contributions to my songs. He sang on two songs from my last album An Chailleach and added so much depth and feeling to them, with his vocals and guitar.

On my newest album In The Forest Singing Sorrowless, I was honoured  to collaborate with C.E. Brown, the cellist from Osi & The Jupiter. I kept saying to myself, “I can’t believe I have my favourite cellist in the whole world on my album!” He creates such mesmerising and moving cello compositions, that are rich and full like a full orchestra. 

Truly, what Osi & The Jupiter create together is magical, mystical and summons up something ancient and otherworldly!

Thanks to Joy for sharing and opening our ears to a band producing haunting music who we’d guess might be hovering below many radars…

Here’s Beren and Lúthien (feat. Leila Abdul-Rauf) from In The Forest Singing Sorrowless:

Joy Shannon online: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Youtube / Bandcamp

You can read more from our extensive archive of Why I Love pieces from a wide array of artists on an even wider array of subjects, here.

Keep up with At The Barrier: Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / Spotify / YouTube