Thinguma*jigsaw — awakeinwhitechapel

awakeinwhitechapel is this two piece's debut album that takes in their own distinctive and macabre take on folk which they’ve christened splatter folk. Utilizing a striped down and unusual but always haunting and often tuneful instrumental mix of banjo, flute, musically saw, along with both members rich, beautiful and descriptive male and female singing

I have to say this is one of the most original and thoroughly enjoyable folk albums I’ve heard over the last year or so, it mangers to be tuneful, macabre, playful and inventive through-out. It’s a sort of vague concept album about Jack The Ripper and the Whitechapel murders- though it never really details the murders or theories, it’s more trying to capture the atmosphere and dread of the time. One might expect with such a bleak and dark subject that this is going to be musically rather dark and sombre, but more often the songs are quite upbeat, jigging and memorable with an often quite awkward pop feeling to them, but still having atmospheric and dark cinematic undertones often played out on the flute.

Lasting just over half – a hour it may sound a bit on the short side, but they put such passion, inventiveness and thought into each and every song it feels twice that length(in a good way). I can really see this appealing well beyond the normal folk crowd- as it’s got a vibrate yet atmospheric and fresh sound. Really if you enjoy tuneful, yet experimental and atmospheric music you have to pick this up. Certainly one of the albums of the year,that I can see myself playing in years to come.