Chimehours — Underneath the Earth

Underneath the Earth is the debut album from Chimehours, a hauntological project from Beck Goldsmith and John Dix. Those with a penchant for Folk Horror and all its trappings are probably going to find a lot to enjoy here. The band mix dark folk vibes with a love of 70s British Occult and horror cinema to create something that is tender and beautiful but underpinned with a sinister edge that references other dark folk masters like Comus, Darkher or even the early days of The Unthanks when they were still called Rachael Unthank and the Winterset. It’s an exquisitely beautiful record that would not sound out of place as the soundtrack to one of McKenzie Crook’s beautifully magical TV series. For example, this would sound great as the soundtrack to the Crook’s recent foray into the Occult, Small Prophets. 

The album opens with "Branches", a timeless folky masterpiece that evokes images of Autumn forests and the rustling of leaves. Title track, "Underneath the Earth", is next and follows in the same earthy direction. This feels like music for those of us who are connected to the ancient landscape of olde Britain. Around the midpoint, an electric guitar kicks in and takes up a notch for a short while before fading to nothing. "Toothwort Took Him", kicks off with some tribal sounding drums, but very quickly we are back into the slightly rockier material of the title track. The track is largely instrumental, with just some lyric-less vocals from Goldsmith. "Greentree" is one of my favourite tracks here, the massed backing vocals reminiscent of Comus and the traditional folk vibes give me chills. "Making A Mountain", reminds me of the music from those two Rachael Unthank and the Winterset albums, with drones and piano dominating things with Goldsmith’s ethereal vocals out front, it’s simply gorgeous. "Dead Papa Toothwort", is another instrumental track based around the 2019 novel, Lanny by Max Porter. Dead Papa Toothwort is a mysterious ancient spirit of the English countryside who watches over a village and interferes in the lives of the people who live there. "Bowerbird" is next, and it’s another glorious masterpiece of beautiful dark folk, Goldsmith’s voice is so delectable; she reminds me of both Liz Frazer and Kate Bush. "Run" is next, and this one is an up-tempo number that evokes a chase scene, very Kate Bush-esque in places, but what I mean is Kate Bush at her darkest and folkiest. This one ramps up the sinister feelings quite a bit. "Look For Me takes things" down a notch or two opening with a drone and Beck Goldsmith’s gorgeous voice laid over the top, reminiscent once again of those early Rachael Unthank and the Winterset albums, but I have to add that whilst I have used that analogy several times, this album has enough of itself to avoid accusations of ripping off anyone’s style, it’s merely a good reference point when discussing the band. "Can’t Find Your Way" definitely has a Comus vibe, gorgeous, ethereal and very acid folky. It’s another beautiful song that just elevates this album beyond being simply a very good record into the higher echelons of what makes a masterpiece. "We Follow", is next, and it’s a work of beautiful, wicked genius. Mixing elements of sumptuous folk with Sunn O))) like guitar riffs, my only criticism is that it’s too short, I need more. "Say Your Prayers" is a pretty folk ballad that stops midway through and changes into something completely different. I love songs that can pull this off, and this one does it with style. The album closes with "Dead Papa Toothwort (Decayed)", another slight revision on the earlier tracks that feature Toothwort in the title, it’s a pleasant way to bring proceedings to a close.

Overall, Underneath the Earth is bloody marvellous, it’s one of those albums that merges beautiful ethereal folk, with a love of 70s British Horror, and a sense of melancholy. The whole thing is infused with a sense of the Occult that permeates from every note. This may be one of my favourite albums of the last few years. The CD from Cold Spring is gorgeously packaged and truly evokes the spirit of the music, while I have to admit to having ordered the book Lanny on the strength of what I have heard here. I have a feeling this one will live long in my playlist, and I shall be recommending this to everyone that I know. This is a special album, that has taken me aback in much the same way as Burd Ellen’s Silver Came and the two Rachael Unthank and the Winterset albums did. If you like those artists, Comus, Cocteau Twins and the experimental side of Kate Bush then you are in for a real treat.