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Shovel Dance Collective: Folk Reimagined
22 Oct
Summary
- The group radically reinterprets traditional music with a lo-fi, joyful sound.
- Their music links Britain's violent historical past to its present-day issues.
- The album features unpredictable shifts from ambient to cacophonous noise.
The nine-piece London-based Shovel Dance Collective unleashes a radically fresh approach to folk music with their latest album, Everything in Readiness. This group fearlessly connects Britain's turbulent past to its present, offering a sound that is at once raging, lo-fi, and joyful.
The album eschews gentle introductions, launching into a 10-minute suite that pivots from drones to intense reels reminiscent of the Velvet Underground. It further explores a repurposed hunting song with ecstatic, noisy accompaniment, creating a euphoric yet disorienting experience.
Shovel Dance Collective's music aligns with a historical tendency for English folk to evolve during times of crisis. Similar to how electric folk emerged in the early 1970s and indie-folk resonated in the post-9/11 era, their work finds contemporary relevance in older tunes.
Their approach connects deeply with historical music's perceived certainties and visceral radicalism. Songs like "Bold Captain Avery," a 1694 broadside about a pirate, are reinterpreted to highlight contemporary resonances, suggesting a search for connection in turbulent times.
Ultimately, Everything in Readiness delivers head-spinning sonic surprises that make centuries-old songs feel messily, hectically alive. The album's immediate pleasure lies in its unpredictability, showcasing music that feels entirely fresh and different.
