If possible, play “Druids” while trudging through a green forest as the sun sets. There’s something about this dark folk track that evokes that natural sentiment, sort of like how mellower Led Zep cuts were aptly set to images of landscapes on The Song Remains the Same. Washington-based Blake Cowan (Wickerbird) has a cavernous voice embracing of reverb and closely-knit harmonizing. Echoes of Paul Simon’s soft-folk inhabit the first verse, but that changes rather quickly. Deeper complexity at the two-minute mark sets lyric-less vocal melodies over Cowan’s longing words. Gentle acoustic strums and tambourine may be the only noticeable instruments, but the various vocal melodies that overlap with a rich and gorgeous quality do all the necessary work. The song’s second half is an absolutely gorgeous culmination of this, where the various vocal embedding begins to resemble a haunting choir. Cheers to Knox Road for the recommendation.
Some other highlights:
