EYE OF IVY, THORN AND MOSS

Here's the first review for this interesting artist, a brand new acquaintance for me. ARROWWOOD is a project of Chelsea Robb, a brit living in the States. Her music is aptly described as "ethereal, ghostly forest folk", inspired by Wicca and nature's wonders. This album is her third one and she plays everything on it herself: acoustic guitar, bowed guitar, harmonium, frame drum, bodhrán, singing bowls, mountain dulcimer, bells, penny whistles, bones, hurdy- gurdy and shakers.

The album contains twelve tracks between two and five minutes' length, mostly around the regular four minutes. The mystical opener 'Follow the Curve of the Hill' features whispery, breathy vocals that make me think of Julee Cruise lost in a dark forest. Instrumental 'Black Moth' centres around a gently sparkling acoustic guitar backed by a spacey ambient soundscape. Very delicate and beautiful.

The hazy vocals with lyrics (so and so recognizable) carry also some other pieces such as 'Birds, Boughs and Thorny Shallow' and 'September'. On several tracks vocals are used as an instrument. Instead of having separate choruses or various song parts in some other way, these tracks, even at their most "song" oriented, function like ambient music. There's not much progress within a track, apart from a careful increase in the intensity sometimes (and I'm not saying this in a negative sense). I want to mention the satirical term wallpaper music, too, because of my inner visions created by this music. If this was a movie, it would be a dream-like film with a minimal amount of talking. The protagonist, preferably a female, would make her way not only in the obvious forest, but perhaps also in a deserted old house with worn-out wallpapers stained by time. It might be a horror film, sure, even though there really is no strong sense of danger, not to mention plain shock elements. But the atmosphere is deep, and, in a way, ghostly.

Without a dedicated concentration in the right mood, much of this album could just pass you by rather harmlessly, just like it is with ambient music. Well, there actually could be a bit more sonic variety, and some tracks to stick out more distinctively from the fairly serene whole. The key word is delicacy, not action. The tempo is very slow most of the time. It's all about the atmosphere, and the listener needs to surrender to it completely, without a slightest sense of hurry. Then you'll be rewarded by at least some moments of rare beauty.

I'd love to read other listeners' reviews for the Arrowwood albums. The latest one is number four, Dark Fairytales (2017). Hopefully Chelsea Robb is still active.