Sam Lee releases his fourth studio album, Songdreaming, on March 15th. The follow up to 2020’s Old Wow, an album variously described as ‘A dazzling fusion of nature and song’ (The Observer) and a ‘sublime album that demands to be heard in the 21st century’ (The Daily Telegraph) amidst a host of critical acclaim, Songdreaming was recorded throughout 2023. The album sees Sam continue his work with producer Bernard Butler and long-term collaborator, arranger, and composer James Keay in creating an album rich in musicality and invention.
Songdreaming represents the latest stage in the development of Sam Lee’s music, from its roots in traditional folk song to a new way of imagining and performing these old songs, making them relevant for a modern audience. Songdreaming may be built on the backbone of double bass, percussion, and violin but is infused with a world of instrumentation including the Arabic Qanun, Swedish Nyckelharpa, small pipes, and more. Across the ten tracks, Sam delivers an album that ranges from more immediately identifiable acoustic songs to drone soundscapes through to the electric guitar and gospel choir propelled lead single, ‘Meeting Is A Pleasant Place’, featuring the recording
debut of Trans Voices, a London based transgender choir.
It is an album that can incorporate the beautiful balladry of ‘Sweet Girl McRee’ alongside the gospel tinges of ‘Leaves of Life’ whilst also housing the whiteout noise close of album opener ‘Bushes and Briars’, a song that details Sam’s rage at the treatment and condition of the natural world.
Released: March 2024
Cat: COOKLP915
Label: Cooking Vinyl Limited
Songdreaming represents the latest stage in the development of Sam Lee’s music, from its roots in traditional folk song to a new way of imagining and performing these old songs, making them relevant for a modern audience. Songdreaming may be built on the backbone of double bass, percussion, and violin but is infused with a world of instrumentation including the Arabic Qanun, Swedish Nyckelharpa, small pipes, and more. Across the ten tracks, Sam delivers an album that ranges from more immediately identifiable acoustic songs to drone soundscapes through to the electric guitar and gospel choir propelled lead single, ‘Meeting Is A Pleasant Place’, featuring the recording
debut of Trans Voices, a London based transgender choir.
It is an album that can incorporate the beautiful balladry of ‘Sweet Girl McRee’ alongside the gospel tinges of ‘Leaves of Life’ whilst also housing the whiteout noise close of album opener ‘Bushes and Briars’, a song that details Sam’s rage at the treatment and condition of the natural world.
Released: March 2024
Cat: COOKLP915
Label: Cooking Vinyl Limited
Listen
Tracklist
1. Bushes and Briars
2. Meeting Is A Pleasant Place
3. McCrimmon
4. Leaves of Life
5. Green Mossy Banks
6. Aye Walking Oh
7. Dreams of the Returning
8. Black Dog and Sheep Crook
9. Sweet Girl McRee