THE HANGING STARS

With new album ‘Hollow Heart’, The Hanging Stars transcend their well-earned reputation as masters of a captivating meld of blissful psychedelic folk and harmony-laden cosmic country.

This fourth album from the accomplished London five-piece; recorded at Edwyn Collins’ Clashnarrow Studios in North-Eastern Scotland; scales fresh artistic heights, as they conjure a record more sonically varied, more contemporary, and less in awe of its influences.

With producer Sean Read (Soulsavers, Dexys Midnight Runners) the band – singer and guitarist Richard Olson, bassist Sam Ferman, drummer Paulie Cobra, Patrick Ralla on guitars and keyboards, and pedal steel player Joe Harvey-Whyte – embarked on a two-day drive to reach Helmsdale, and the unique studio sitting on a cliff overlooking the North Sea, on the same latitude as Gothenburg, and with the smell of Scandinavia on the air.

The bucolic atmosphere of the place was infectious, engendering a focus and discipline allowing them a freedom to then fully realise the performances they aspired to. A mesmeric aura possesses this sequence of ten songs such that ‘Ava’ can open the album with an unhurried smoulder of steel and string, so right the extent of its unfolding surprises; voice, guitars, and resolute drums may break the reverie but attention is snared.

Through ‘Black Light Night’s harsh cold turkey pop and ‘Weep & Whisper’s gorgeous near-ambient soft-focus, to the celestial shoegaze wash of ‘Rainbows On Windows’ and the divine lo-fi wonkiness of ‘Red Autumn Leaf’ a sonic surety prevails. The vocal arrangements amaze, and the breadth of instrumental exploration inspires awe.

The Hanging Stars shine brighter than ever; as with ‘Hollow Heart’ they’ve self-confidently seized the opportunity to birth a record that inhabits its own world and time, and insists it be heard.

WAX-TREE-CAST

A 3-piece Indie-pop band from Halifax, West Yorkshire formed in mid-2020. The group consists of lead vocalist and bassist Oolagh Hodgson, James Newsome on drums and songwriter Blair Murray on lead guitar. Blair is a former member of the Manchester band Twisted Wheel and has also worked with Nile Marr and Johnny Marr on Nile’s solo work.

The band’s music has recently been played by Chris Hawkins on BBC 6 Music and John Kennedy’s show Radio X.

Gordon Raphael producer of The Strokes has said “Super cool band” “I dig their sound”.