DARK LEAVES - "LAID UNDER LEAF, UNDER BRANCHES" LP

Ramble Records:

Dark Leaves has returned to chill you to the bone with the phantasmic Laid Under Leaf, Under Branches.

Dark Leaves, AKA Patrick Aston, is a Penzance, UK based singer-songwriter who weaves shadowy psychedelic folk music that is heavy with both mood and atmosphere. On this album, Aston utilizes a mix of acoustic guitar, ethereal keyboards and spectral vocals to create a ghostly netherworld that completely envelops the listener.

Songs like the title track whisk you off to the foreboding woodlands and pagan stone circles of olde England with their lushly pastoral instrumentation and poetic lyrics. With rattling percussion and flute-like drones swelling behind Aston’s guitar and whispery voice, these enigmatic tunes give off strong ritualistic vibes. You could even easily imagine them soundtracking folk horror films like The Wicker Man or Wakewood.

Yet, despite the eerie and melancholic nature of these songs, this album is a deeply calming listen. Every sound is draped with just enough reverb to make them feel soft and cool to the ears, giving the entire record a lulling dreamlike quality.

For a more mysterious and surreal take on English psychedelic folk music, get your copy of Dark Leaves’ Laid Under Leaf, Under Branches.