Arms Out

Back in 2013 Forest Swords, a one man producer from Wirral, put out an album called Engravings which I really enjoyed (and digging further back an ep called Dagger Paths). He's back with a new song and a new album in May (Compassion). Arms Out is a bit of a stunner....



I think it's fair to say there's a certain amount of Massive Attack in it but it has an optimism that's sometimes missing from the Bristolians and those strings over those beats with the delay on the snatches of voice are pretty breathtaking.

Working backwards there was another new one at the start of March, The Highest Flood, more abstract sounds, fractured drums and suddenly some choral voices. All very intriguing, and while sounding very urban its all a bit pastoral too. Wirral is one of those kind of in-between places, surrounded by sea on three sides and with a bigger, more famous neighbour across the Mersey- maybe that's what's coming out in the music. May looks like being an expensive month.