The recording project of peripatetic folk musician Adam Howard, The Duke of Norfolk is something of a collision of folk styles. Combining classic elements from bluegrass and traditional Irish folk with more modern, electronic-based styles (Howard cites Tuung as an influence), the outfit breathes new life into a timeless mode, adding nuance and complexity to a tried-and-tested sound to craft rich, evocative soundscapes.
Writing of the single ‘Dylan Thomas / Bitter Bitter‘ back in 2018, we described how The Duke of Norfolk “follow the likes of Typhoon in building a kind of ‘sublime folk’, Howard’s willingness to build intricate sounds leading to songs which “seem to coalesce from the surrounding landscape, channeling energies far older than the music communicating them.” The song was taken from the most recent Duke of Norfolk album, Attendre et Espérer, a touching meditation on death that utilised such styles to paint grief and death as universal and intrinsic to our existence, resulting in an ambitious, humane record that drilled to the very core of the human condition.
Today, we’re proud to share a brand new single from The Duke of Norfolk. Recorded on the day it was written, ‘As the Heralds Revere You’ rises from the warm simplicity of plucked guitar, Howard’s vocals winding like a mountain stream. The song is an ode to an uncertain relationship, finding beauty and joy in the present despite the lurking doubt, attempting to be grateful no matter how fragile or transient the tie.
In the winter the crow came.
A messenger broken
I picked the flowers of Eden
my lungs barely breathing
You were young and I afraid
I saw my innocence fadingSeven angels then came
holding anchors and chains.
Dionysus I pray
let me baptise and save you
‘As the Heralds Revere You’ is out on the 26th April and you can get it from The Duke of Norfolk Bandcamp page, where you can also find Attendre et Espérer.