Instrumental fusion of Greek, Turkish and Irish folk musics. Unpredictable time signatures, non-Western scales and rolling melodic phrases played on Cretan lyra and Middle Eastern saz, joined by violin and subtle percussion. Murky and intricate, growing in speed and intensity throughout. Sombre yet determined, delivered with passionate vehemence, perfect music for a global documentary or Film/TV scene representing Turkish or Middle Eastern culture.
Tag Archives: Folk
Little Green
Violin instrumental in waltz time. Two violins play an Irish-style repeated folk melody, intertwining, bowing with a rough and ready quality. Plaintive, melancholy and mesmeric, a fusion of Irish and Middle Eastern tonality, perfect for a documentary about either part of the world, or a hypnotic onscreen dance of cultures.
Mantis
Folk fusion instrumental on Cretan lyra and fiddle. A cirucular melody on Cretan lyra is doubled on fiddle and joined by subtle percussive hand claps, sounding at once like Austrian mountain folk without the yodelling and like a weaving Middle Eastern melody. Thoughtful and open yet formulaic in its structure, wandering music for an epic nature walk, perfect for a travel or nature documentary.
Puddle Pondering
Hypnotic improvisational string track on Cretan lyra. Layers of overlapping Cretan lyra play drone-like modal phrases. At 3 minutes, the various lines come together along with added percussion, to form a more driving, unified, full melody, growing in intensity with hints of Irish folk music and Arabic music, to a powerful ending. Mesmerising, contemplative and experimental, singular sounds for a documentary looking at lesser-known cultures, spiritual places or undefinable combinations of cultures.
San Marino
Gentle pastoral orchestral string track with soothing male vocals. Slow, atmospheric intro of harp and percussion establishes a hypnotic plod before male ‘Aaahs’ softly wash over the instrumental bed. Subtle sustained woodwind added, along with sparkling percussion and orchestral strings, tambourine and flute. Calm, peaceful with a hint of excited anticipation. The Wicker man meets Green Man Festival, perfect for a fantastical film moment, a trippy woodland adventure, a Wicker Man-style , or nature documentaries.
Girift
Acoustic instrumental on cretan lyra and Turkish saz. Medium-paces introductory phrases, building in texture, complexity and speed, with a central melodic idea emerging. Bowed fiddle-like instrument joins with an earthy modal melodic passage, along with light, sparse percussion. Dynamic, mysterious and hypnotic, a cyclical effect of returning to the beginning, suitable for video work focused on the Middle East or Mediterranean, or a film/drama wanting an authentic, raw acoustic sound or an Arabic feel.
Fly Paper
Experimental pop with vocals. Breathy, reverb-laden vocals over Dirty Projectors-style noodling electric guitar, unpredictable rhythms and rattling percussion. Sparse, washed out electric guitar chords replace vocals over jerky percussion. Repeats. Thoughtful, dreamy and romantic, perfect for a reflective indie film scene or nostalgic TV drama outro.
Spirit Winds and Prairie Grass
Pastoral folk on solo acoustic guitar. Quiet, thoughtful chordal motifs and finger-picking guitar. Moving from minor to major like the sun breaking through the clouds. Gentle, introspective and tentative, yet hopeful, perfect for a spare, downbeat TV/Doc sequence or a relaxed advert.
In-Sen
Multi-instrumental contemporary folk. Gentle marimba intro, joined by sustained violin and cello fragments. Tinkling piano mimics the strings, leading to a darkening of mood and intense, high register string-lead movement. Resolves to gently swaying, lingering light strings and piano. Next section feels like gentle rocking in an ocean trawler. Harp and strings duel steadily to a choppy finale. Intriguing, dynamic and searching, a curious, undulating, seafaring piece, perfect for mysterious TV/Doc scenes.
Once A Squirrel
Multi-instrumental contemporary jazz/folk. Light-footed marimba intro into a marimba riff with counter melody. Violin and cello join with a brief melody, continue over the marimba. Polyrhythms emerge from multiple layerings and harmonies. Quiet marimba break before a burst of vigorous strings. Dynamic new section with sparse piano, strange rhythms and freely soloing marimba. Slow down and fade to finish. Playful, folky and a bit magical, secret goings on, covert, playful encounters and mysterious but jolly woodland fun. Like the soundtrack to a jaunty but slight dark Enid Blyton tale.