TERRY EMM – new album: Starlight

StarlightReleased 20th October on Azez Records

Acclaimed UK alt-folk singer songwriter Terry Emm will release his highly anticipated third album Starlight on October 20th on new boutique London label, Azez Records. The album, which follows 2012’s Petals Fallen Off The Sun and 2009’s White Butterflies’ signals an exciting new phase for the 26 year old from Bedfordshire.

The album was produced by Michael Clarke (Clarkesville, Andy Burrows) and features strings by Calina De La Mare (Sophia, Tindersticks) which marks a new era of collaborations for Emm. “I met Michael (Clarke) when I was younger” says Emm on the new collaboration. “I was a fan of Michael’s band, Clarkesville, and their album inspired me a lot with its mix of uplifting pop rock tracks and singer-songwriter style tracks” adds Emm. “After finishing my last album “Petals Fallen Off The Sun”, I was trying to get out of quite a dark place which that album reflects and was needing a new approach creatively and kept running into coincidences involving Michael Clarke. I was lucky enough to have a fan of the music offer to fund a new release and set up a label, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to of done it. I found out that Michael was now producing and so eventually started laying down some experiments with him and the rest is history. Likewise, involving Calina, I had loved her arrangements on albums I’d listened to when I was young and thought I’d reach back into my youth musical influences in order to take it forward on this new album. The best music from your youth always sticks with you”, he adds.

Starlight is a real melting pot of different styles. ‘Forever and After’, conjures Emm’s youth growing up in the 90’s, listening to Brit-pop with it’s Del Amitri / Boo Radley’s esque bright harmonies and sparkly guitar sound, whilst the title track has a jazzy-folk Nick Drake-esque snappy finger-picking style underpinned by gorgeous string quartet arrangements. Emm has a sentimentality which pervades all of his work which is fragile and spacious on atmospheric stripped back tracks like ‘As Long’ and ‘Sunset’ and which is made triumphant with colourful band backing on tracks like ‘For This’ and ‘Is There An End To Your Love?’. The album is an exciting new calling card for a singer-songwriter who has steadily built up a cult following over his previous releases which garnered critical acclaim all over the music press and airplay including on BBC 6 Music, Radio 2 and Q Radio. With a renewed vigour Terry will be touring thoroughly in the run up to the launch and after, playing support shows with current Radio 2 buzz act Emma Stevens and US bluesman Harry Manx.

Artist’s website: www.terryemm.co.uk

Terry sings ‘Loved And Never Lost’ from his new album: