Agent Starling’s second full length album, Constellation of Birds released on Bandcamp on 25th February 2022, then full digital release on 25th March.
We love this review in Fatea Magazine: https://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/reviews/AgentStarling/
Get the album as limited edition CD with bonus tracks The Northern Lights Trilogy, or digital download from Bandcamp here: https://loudhaileruk.bandcamp.com/album/constellation-of-birds
In ‘Constellation of Birds’ real instruments, hurdy-gurdy, bass, violin, cello, hypnotic drones, vocal harmonies & spoken words are interwoven with found sounds and manipulated electronic synthesized tones. The melodies are inspired by traditional tunes, playing techniques, chants and refrains. The rhythm tracks are constructed from samples recorded around the home and field recordings to make rolling patterns and trap beats. The resulting mix is a very modern sound, a complex, compelling musical counterpoint full of catchy tunes with Pop, Indie, Folk and Dance sensibilities, all with an experimental edge.
The album features seven new original songs telling stories inspired by the environment in the contemporary world and influenced by musical traditions from nations across Europe, together with Agent Starling’s arrangements of two traditional tunes, O’Carolan’s Irish waltz Bridget Cruise and Swedish polska Hälleforsnäsar.
Agent Starling’s original songs span a joyful celebration of the summer solstice, Midsommer, to the song of an alien stranded on Earth during the pandemic – Leave No Trace. Paqaratz is an observation of the band’s dissent with the British government. Shadowland depicts a mysterious chance meeting by the dark sea, while dance track Princess Julia tells a fairy tale of a royal pretender and her secret. Valley to Mountainside, with its compound time signature changes and layered overlapping harmonies extols the beauty of nature, and in the album’s closing spoken word track – The Stonemason’s Dream – Agent Starling call for cathedral-thinking in the modern world to preserve it.