CUNNING FOLK - Ritual Land, Uncommon Ground - CD

George Nigel Hoyle is more than just a folk singer. Sure, he has an illustrious history in London’s music scene both as Nigel Of Bermondsey and as the leading light behind GentleFolk, channelling the mysteries of English woodlands through the pubs and the patter of South East London. But there is another side to Hoyle. Despite the seemingly off-the-cuff nature of some of his recordings, he has long been a careful and thorough chronicler of Britain’s ritual past, its ancient psychogeography. His extensive, well-researched and beautifully presented blog is a welcome window into a world of witch trials, ancient agricultural practices and mysterious chalk figures.

Now, as Cunning Folk, he has turned those glimpses of antiquity into Ritual Land, Uncommon Ground, an album of stunning songs, each one something of a story in its own right. This first thing to know is that this is not just an album about individual rituals, it is a piece of art and a piece of research exploring the nature of ritual as a whole. The second noteworthy thing – and this becomes apparent after only a few seconds of the first track – is that this is in no way a traditional folk album. FolkRadio.com