We Speak Music

Scott Matthews releases spine-tingling live video for ‘The Light’

Published

3 years ago

May 4, 2023

Don Reed

Following Scott Matthews’ critically acclaimed album, New Skin, lauded by Robert Plant, Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien and Bella Union’s Simon Raymonde as his most courageous move yet in its Eno-esque electronica and Thom Yorke-centric uncovering, comes the sequel to its story, and the Ivor Novello award-winner is not afraid to evolve once more.

From within this freshly paved electronic landscape, Matthews’ new album, Restless Lullabies, emerges with a stark boldness that is breath taking. These phoenix songs, born from New Skin, have more to give, worthy of reincarnation, entirely reimagined by Matthews who appears dauntless, they are restless with good reason.

Now entirely unadorned, stripped of their electronic veil, the album’s organic, acoustic purity creates a subliminal listening experience. From the ethereal acapella, ‘Intruders on Earth’, to the evocative duet, ‘Anniversary’, where Matthews performs with American soul-jazz singer, Krystle Warren, the result being a vocal fusion that seems impossibly perfect. The skeletal delicacy of the songs allows his poetry to breathe, his transcendent vocal to soar, brings his dexterously sensitive guitar playing into microscopic focus and further cements his undeniable mastery as one of our greatest songsmiths.

Restless Lullabies is the Yin to New Skin’s Yang, so obviously interconnected and yet somehow possessing an entirely different force. Here, once again, Scott Matthews has given us a portal to his very core. The album was mastered by Miles Showell at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, who praised it; thus, “It is not over emphasising things when I say that Scott’s forthcoming album is among the very best records I have worked on in my whole career”.

Scott Matthews is on tour in the UK throughout 2023. Get tickets & more info here: https://www.scottmatthews.uk/tour-dates

We Speak Music

Christian Balvig releases gorgeous new album ‘Find And You Will Seek’ in collaboration with Ensemble Hermes.

Published

2 hours ago

June 2, 2026

Don Reed

Acclaimed composer and arranger Christian Balvig is known for his work with an array of artists and bands like Jade, Efterklang, Lowly, When Saints Go Machine and Mew, as well as his work with some of the most acclaimed orchestras like Royal Northern Sinfonia (BBC Proms), The Royal Danish Orchestra, Copenhagen Phil, London Contemporary Orchestra, The Danish Radio Broadcast Orchestra and The Norwegian Wind Ensemble.

The cinematic sound on his new album might echo Balvig’s work in the world of film and TV music. Scoring the 2025 Oscar shortlisted short movie ‘Eternal Father’ and the Danish hit series ‘Cry Wolf’ (Ulven Kommer), which has been shown on television in more than 30 countries around the globe, including Channel 4 in the UK. He was also nominated for a Harpa award for ‘Best score’ last year at the Berlinale for ‘The Son and the Moon (Min Arv Bor I Dig)’.

Balvig’s new album, ‘Find And You Will Seek’, backed by Danish string group Ensemble Hermes, grew organically out of this background of experiences and is music that appeals to listeners seeking original, immersive music with space for reflection and contemplation.

‘Find And You Will Seek’ is a collection of chamber works that explore the combination of piano and strings in new ways. Recent single ‘The BirdSuite II – Praesentia’ is part of a 3-part Suite running throughout the record, written and performed on a custom made “Keybird” piano, which is an una-corda (one string pr note) piano that gives a more subtle and intimate sound. On top of it is a lush and emotional string ensemble arrangement with Ensemble Hermes in multiple layers fluctuating in and out of the keybird piano.

Balvig’s second single from the record is ‘What Happened To The World’, an ultra transparent neo-classical inspired piece, with slow melodic structures, a simple chord progression and emotional performance starting with a floating viola solo. It is written from the feeling that the world sometimes goes backwards, and you feel left on the platform wanting to take the train in a different direction.

From film music inspired pieces to experimental chamber music over piano concerto inspired movements, to more neo-classical productions with almost orchestral sounding dubs of strings, ‘Find And You Will Seek’ flows with emotions and lush sound worlds, always with a tangible organic texture.

Find Christian Balvig and Ensemble Hermes on tour in Denmark:

27.5 Ansgars Kirke (Odense)

28.5 Folkegaarden Festival (Aalborg)

29.5 Gnisten (Ry)

30.5 Musikhuset (Aarhus)

1.6 Basement (Copenhagen)