Paul Spring merges subtle electronica beats against the fingerpicking of an acoustic guitar with his latest single, “Beetle on a Blade”. As a leading single off his upcoming album, Thunderhead, he shows off his folk music prowess that channels some of his work as a session guitarist with Mary Lattimore, Blackthought, Sasami, and Robin Pecknold.
It’s a haunting little tune that has a ghostly propulsion allowing it to move at a fast pace despite it’s more ethereal textures. The light vocal harmonies that linger and howl in the background fill out the space giving it the feel of a mystic forest. Playing off the melody of the traditional Irish tune “Stone in a Field”, there is something off-kilter about Springs vocal and lyrical allure – equally pleasing and unnerving.
To that end, the song feels like it swings wildly between joyful chanting and pulsing drums and the suspense of anticipation that builds within the more subtle moments. You’ll come into it thinking that you know where it will take you only to be surprised by where you end up. Much like getting lost in a forest, there is something eerie about the vast expansive unknown in the sonic terrain that surrounds you, but also something comforting and sublime about being able to experience that catharsis up close.
“Beetle on a Blade” is available now on major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, and can be found alongside other excellent tracks on the Alchemical Records Multigenre Mixture playlist on Spotify.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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After AFI DOCS’s departure, the capital city once again has a documentary festival.
Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
