the folklore of plants – volume 1

We really must pay attention to these folklore tapes releases, like the finest labels around, here I’m specifically thinking of A Year in the Country, they each take you down secret paths and onto sometimes strange (more oftenthan not familiar, though hidden from view or thought) worlds. A label where both the design and packaging is as carefully cobbled together as the sounds themselves, in fact each compliment the other, often with the sounds brought to life by the accompanying inserts and storyboards. To borrow from the soundcloud title, a very apt description, these sonic ‘cuttings’ have been taken from a recent 31 track set entitled ‘the folklore of plants – volume 1’ and features names familiar – Jaycock, McPhee, Hayden and Belbury Poly amid a host of, so far by us at least, undiscovered talents, all gathered to celebrate the intrinsic relationship that we have with plants, the folklore, legend, mystique and of course the magical. Splicing spoken word cooking instructions, theories and fancies to a broad spectrum of sonic stylings that include at turns chamber, folk, field quirkiness and retro electronics, light and dark, the Folklore community weave a deliriously woozy and sometimes spooky woodland folly that stirs sleepily cosy toed in both enchantment and playful oddness. The set, limited in nature, comes pressed up on heavy duty vinyl and comes accompanied by a forty page pamphlet, a twenty eight page pocket A6 booklet, links to the 16mm film ‘Pattern of Light’ by Mary and David and an envelope containing seeds all luxuriously housed in a unique plant relief printed hand numbered manilla sleeve. https://soundcloud.com/folklore-tapes/the-folklore-of-plants-voli-cuttings