Holy Hive - Holy Hive - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

A clear crowd favorite at the 2016 Sydney International Piano Competition with his incendiary technique and warm stage presence, Moye Chen was awarded the George Frederick Boyle Prize and was signed to Universal Music Australia shortly after. On this luscious recording, the Chinese pianist coalesces four worlds as he traces the journey of three composer-pianists who, like Chen himself, followed their destinies to the 'New World'. Russians Sergei Rachmaninov and Vladimir Horowitz both found renewed fame in America, and Percy Grainger's uncommon musical versatility found a second voice when he moved from Australia via England to America. Who can fail to be seduced by Gershwin's Love Walked In in the smoochy transcription by Percy Grainger? Or his Londonderry Air. Vladimir Horowitz, one of the greatest virtuosos of all time, makes an appearance as both composer and transcriber. Rachmaninov is one of Moye Chen's many specialties and he presents a range of pieces from this composer's output - the gorgeous Melodie, the cheeky transcription of the 'Menuet' from Bizet's L'Arlésienne, and the all-engulfing Second Sonata.

Big Crown Records is proud to present Float Back To You, the debut full length album from Holy Hive. Homer Steinweiss, the Brooklyn based soul/funk drummer, always had a soft spot for folk music. Paul Spring, a young idealist folk singer traveling the country with his guitar, always had a beautiful falsetto in his back pocket. A family introduction would lead to Homer producing a few solo records of Paul's, which would eventually lead to the creation of Holy Hive. The two enlisted Joe Harrison on bass and started out recording their first tunes as a group. A tour with soul legend Lee Fields would turn out to have an unexpected effect on their sound as they played their material to crowds of soul fanatics looking to dance. It was this realization that forced the next step in their evolution and gave birth to a sound unique to Holy Hive, a sound that walks a line so perfectly it necessitated a new genre, Folk Soul. Listening to their debut album, their different experiences and influences have all shown up. From the heavy downbeat of the lead single InchBroomInch to their intimate cover of Honeybus' InchBe Thou By My Side,Inch Float Back To You showcases their songwriting prowess as well as their impeccable musicianship. Spring's fondness for ancient mythology shows up in a few places on the album as well adding another level to their work. They adapt the Greek poet Sappho's InchFragment 31Inch to music on InchEmbers To AshInch and completely rework the Irish folk tune InchRed Is The RoseInch into a modern day two stepper. Another standout track is the already classic InchOh I Miss Her So,Inch which first showed up on their 2018 Harping EP and features accomplished harpist Mary Lattimore and trumpet by Dave Guy of The Roots. The symbiotic relationship of Homer and Paul has been likened to that of an oxpecker and a black rhino. Paul's delicate falsetto and fluttering gui

Founded in the magical forests of Finland, via the green and pleasant lands of England and Ireland, Hexvessel are wyrd folk. Formed in 2009 by Mat InchKvohstInch McNerney, who having already made a name for himself in extreme metal bands in the UK where he was born and raised, and again in the Norwegian Black Metal scene, finally found his home in the land of the midnight sun. Settling in a country where mythology, tradition and pre-Christian heritage is still alive McNerney, (who also fronts 1980s-excess-tinged gothic pop band Grave Pleasures), found solace in the constant reflection of Finland's pagan past, awakening secret knowledge that led to the formation of Hexvessel. Since acclaimed debut album InchDawnbearerInch (2011), Hexvessel have released two further albums of forest folk and bewitching psychedelia. They have played sold out headline tours in their homeland, been nominated for 2 Finnish Grammy awards, toured Europe together with bands like Sabbath Assembly and Alcest, graced the main stage at Roadburn in Holland and performed at SXSW in Texas, seeing their music on the charts and on many critics lists. They embellished their sonic rituals with mushroom-induced psychedelia on third and most recent best-selling album InchWhen We Are DeathInch to widespread critical acclaim and continue to develop their sound. Their new album InchAll TreeInch sees the band expand upon McNerney's personal spiritual journey. Reunited with his co-songwriter from InchDawnbearerInch, Andrew McIvor, they unfurl their primordial storytelling with a contemporary command of song-craft. During the writing of InchAll TreeInch, as he sat by the fire in his summerhouse in the Finnish wilderness, McNerney recalled the summers of his youth, spent listening to Celtic ghost stories on his father's family farm in Galway, Ireland. He began to write music that grew out of that connection betwe