Delving into Fellow Hollow’s latest release is an experience on par with deep meditation, a slice of catharsis and soothing energy bound to hypnotise any keen listener. ‘Dutch Elm Disease’ introduces itself through a light and evocative finger-picked guitar, serving as an ethereal and heavenly background for Williams’ feathery and luscious vocals. Soon, a universe of cinematic and folk-flavoured stylings illuminate the record further, moving it into Bon iver-Esque territories.
Formed by producer/singer/pianist Andrew Williams, with guitarists/multi-instrumentalists Luke Fleeman and Michael Barnett, Fellow Hollow is one of those projects that gets better with age. Active since 2015, the American outfit has steadily refined their sound to include a myriad of nuances and a thousand references, eventually settling on a rather unique formula that feels as majestic as it is spiritual and meaningful.
Part of a wider album, ‘Boughs of Teeth’, ‘Dutch Elm Disease’ is perhaps one of the finest episodes in it. Describing the ethos behind their work, Fellow Hollow explain: “We tried to explore the space in between the natural and the unnatural, the real and the unreal, the ethereal and the ephemeral—and both the beauty and the terror that result in trying to bridge their divides, in bringing them too close together.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Dutch Elm Disease’ on Spotify:
