Spell Songs
Gifts of Light
Released 1 Dec 2023
Spell Songs
Gifts of Light is the new album from Spell Songs, a live record produced during the Spell Songs 2022 Spring tour at Birmingham Symphony Hall and within the Hintze Hall of the Natural History Museum in 2021.
“It’s not easy to paint with an audience. Learning the shape of an otter is like learning music. Repetition and looking, looking and learning, as the words and the shape of the otter fit together with the rhythm of the music, and it seems as if something magical is happening.”
This is a quote from the Lost Words artist Jackie Morris, the honorary eighth member of the Spell Songs band. In contrast to the peace of her coastal studio, Jackie finds herself up on the stages of some of the UK’s finest concert halls, conjuring creatures from paint and speaking their spells. Recorded live at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, Jackie and the Otter track feature for the first time on this special digital live album.
“One of the best live experiences I’ve ever seen…” Chris Proctor, Head of Programming, Birmingham Town Hall and Symphony Hall
Music for the Gifts of Light album was also recorded at the Natural History Museum during a special livestreamed event, with a unique message of respect for nature at its core, which raised just over £105,000 for the museum’s ambitious Urban Nature Project. Spell Songs performed their poignant music, art and poetry beneath ‘Hope’, the magnificent blue whale skeleton that is currently suspended high up in the breath-taking space of the Hintze Hall.
“To hear Spell Songs’ music reverberating through the Natural History Museum was a moment of pure joy. It was a truly incredible experience” Katy Payne, Head of Special Events at the Natural History Museum.
As well as the venues documented in Gifts of Light, the Spell Singers have performed to audiences across the UK from Folk by the Oak Festival (who commissioned Spell Songs), to Southbank’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Hay International Literary Festival and The Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC’s Lost Words Prom in 2019.
We hope this live album captures the essence of the powerful charge that is created during their live shows; demonstrated by the fact each concert has been blessed with a standing ovation and with a heart-warming mixture of tears, laughter, and smiles.
“… one of the most sublime evenings you will ever enjoy. The magic of these superstars onstage - the art, the music, the sheer, ravishing beauty of the language... one of the greatest concerts we've ever had at Hay. Long, rapturous standing ovation. People weeping for joy” Hay International Literary Festival
Their live shows are a golden opportunity to sing nature back to life!
Tracklist
- Bird of the Blizzard•
- Thrift (Dig In, Dig In)•
- Red is Your Art•
- Otter•
- Charm On, Goldfinch•
- Heartwood•
- Curlew•
- Little Astronaut•
- Heron•
- The Lost Words Blessing
Credits
- Jackie Morris Author/Illustrations
- Robert Macfarlane Author
- Beth Porter Voice, Cello
- Jim Molyneux Voice, Piano, Percussion
- Julie Fowlis Voice, Whistle, Percussion
- Karine Polwart Voice, Tenor, Harmonium, Bass
- Kris Drever Voice, Guitars, Bass
- Rachel Newton Voice, Harp, Viola
- Seckou Keita Voice, Kora
- Andy Bell Producer, Engineer, Mix
- Sam Proctor Master
- Elly Lucas Photography
- Adam & Caroline Slough Project Managers
- "“The words, music and art produce a deep and emotional connection with the natural world which gets straight to the heart.”" – Fiona McWilliams Executive Director of Development at The Natural History Museum
