Neil Luck & Mimi Doulton: Five English Folk Songs

In a world where some argue that mankind has totally abandoned tradition while others profess that tradition is what is holding us back, Neil Luck and Mimi Doulton demonstrate that it is possible to create an exciting and relevant blend of the past with the present by paying homage to the English folk heritage, while radically reinventing it at the same time. Five English Folk Songs features five miniatures that delve into the realm of mystical communication with non- human energies, aiming to remind us that such communication may still be forged even in contemporary times. Reformation-era votive antiphon, early Renaissance invisibility spell and a folk song, amongst others, all serve as original materials for this curious transfiguration.

The explorative force of the album becomes apparent within the first few seconds. The duo's main theme revolves around the interplay of opposites, particularly roughness and beauty, which are united through a series of fortuitous occurrences. The opening track, "Phalay," showcases Luck's resonant and vibrating drones, verging on shouted outbursts that yield a range of raw creaks and squeaks as he reaches the limits of his breath. In contrast, Doulton's vocals exude refinement and power while soaring to heights. "Lichens" presents a brisk exploration of unconventional textures achieved by singing into a tube, dragging plates across the table and handling cutlery, alongside more traditional elements like striking a tuning fork and pristine singing.

The opposites unite in "Evergreen," where the singers engage in synchronised playfulness reciting CPR instructions punctuated with mouth clicks and gasps, only to be separated again in a frenetic improvisation. Luck plays leaves with its flatulent timbre—his most recent pursuit, honed during his residency at the Solitude Palace near Stuttgart where he was immersed in lush foliage—while Doulton imitates the same sonority through her singing and whistling. "Oh Great Goat," with its pulsating and rising goat trills, serves as a testament to the performers' endurance and visceral struggle which they project into the piece. The final track "Janet Has a Friend" is based on a folk song from the 1980s about the Enfield Poltergeist, presented operatically by Doulton's powerful voice. The protagonist was plagued by floating objects, furniture being overturned and loud banging, which are all mimicked by Luck dragging chairs and tables attached to him by a string while blowing and singing into the balloon.

In 2020, Luck released Unmeasured Preludes for Keyboards on the net label squib-box, dealing with a particular past tradition—early French Baroque practice of unmeasured preludes. Five English Folk Songs is a continuation of this exploration where the past peacefully coexists with the present. It is a coherent, highly-idiosyncratic and vivid musical experience successfully concocted by Luck and Doulton from seemingly disparate elements of English folklore. Each track conjures up its own story, coloured by its own eerie sound world; the juxtaposition of ugliness and beauty being its secret element, gently pushing the boundaries of musical expression through the use of vocals and objects.