• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Spellbinding Music

Genre-bending & spine-tingling

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Contact

Anna Mieke: Idle Mind

May 29, 2019 By guillaume

I’ve been wandering long…

Already a distinguished performer at music festivals across Ireland, Anna-Mieke Bishop is a multi-instrumentalist and singer songwriter originally from Co. Wicklow. A nomad at heart, years of travelling and living in different corners of the world (“from the west of Ireland to Spain to Bangladesh to New Zealand”) have shaped her unique, powerful and distinct style. Self-released on Friday 26 April 2019 last as a digital download, CD and LP, Idle Mind is the singer’s first full-length début.

Anna Mieke - Idle-Mind (2019)
Anna Mieke – Idle-Mind (2019)

Idle Mind is a superb album navigating effortlessly between contemporary shades of folk music (“Warped Window”, “Mountain Song”), spirited folk-rock (“Idle Mind”, “If”) and Americana blues-rock (“Arbour”). There are also adventurous forays into more modern classical and jazz-tinged territories on songs like Creature (visually enhanced by a contemporary dance choreography) or the stunning “Parallel”.

Accompanying herself on bouzouki and acoustic/electric guitar on most songs, Anna Mieke is also a pianist and a cellist, thus immediately broadening her sonic palette. Brían Mac Gloinn (one half of Irish folk duo Ye Vagabonds) is present on almost every songs as a backing vocalist or playing the guitar, fiddle or harmonium. Dublin-based jazz percussionist Matthew Jacobson or Wayne Dunlea (drums), Nick Rayner (synth), Conor Cunningham (flute & clarinet) and Sonny Sampson (bass) complete the line-up. There are hardly any solo or improvised sections as instruments are used in a solely harmonic capacity at all times to support Anna Mieke’s impeccable vocals.

Among the few videos that were available on Anna Mieke’s YouTube channel prior to the release of her début album is a spine-chilling interpretation of the traditional song My Lagan Love based on Margaret Barry’s version. The Irish folk singing tradition, and perhaps more precisely the unaccompanied Irish sean-nós singing style appear to shape Anna Mieke’s phasing and intonation on many songs.

None of the original songs on the album bear a “traditional” stamp though, but the singer dips into other styles to carve her own path. Her usage of the Greek bouzouki, borrowed from the Greek folk and Rebetiko traditions and adopted by Irish accompanying musicians since the mid-1960s also provides a fantastic grounding to her songs. In a recent interview, the singer quotes Nick Drake’s album “Pink Moon” as a major influence on her music too.

Anna Mieke’s “Mountain Song” filmed by Myles O’Reilly

The 10 songs on Idle Mind seem to have emerged organically over several years as the distillation of life experiences gathered at home and abroad. Underpinned by strong vocals, superb arrangements and lyrics dealing with the elements, wilderness and wide open spaces, the free-flowing compositions have slowly matured into a remarkable début.

https://annamieke.com/

You May Also Like:

  • Seán Mac Erlaine: A Slender Song
    Seán Mac Erlaine: A Slender Song
  • Kokoroko
    Kokoroko
  • Slow Moving Clouds: Starfall
    Slow Moving Clouds: Starfall
  • Brigid Mae Power
    Brigid Mae Power
  • Ablaye Cissoko & Volker Goetze: Amanké Dionti
    Ablaye Cissoko & Volker Goetze: Amanké Dionti
  • Bombino: Nomad
    Bombino: Nomad

Filed Under: Contemporary, Featured, Folk, Ireland Tagged With: Anna Mieke, indie, songwriting

Subscribe to Spellbinding Music

Never miss a post and subscribe to Spellbinding Music via email. Receive weekly and enchanting musical updates straight into your inbox - and it's free!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About

Spellbinding Music is a blog which curates contemporary, modern classical, roots, electronic, jazz and folk music…and everything in between. ... [Continue Reading]

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Most Read this week

Follow via Email

Search

Recent Posts

William Susman – A Quiet Madness (2021)

William Susman: Collision Point/A Quiet Madness

Matthew Halsall - Salute to the Sun (2020)

Matthew Halsall: Salute to the Sun

A.G: Lonea (2020)

A.G: Lonea

Saffronkeira with Paolo Fresu: In Origine: The Field of Repentance (2020)

Saffronkeira with Paolo Fresu: In Origine: The Field of Repentance

Paolo Fresu & Daniele Di Bonaventura - Altissima Luce (2019)

Paolo Fresu & Daniele Di Bonaventura: Altissima Luce

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Ultan O’Brien - Solas an Lae (2020)

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Ultan O’Brien: Solas an Lae

From the Archives

Vanessa Wagner: Inland

Nadah El Shazly - Ahwar (2017)

Nadah El Shazly: Ahwar

Brigid Mae Power - Head Above the Water (2020)

Brigid Mae Power: Head Above The Water

Jherek Bischoff - Cistern (2016)

Jherek Bischoff: Cistern

Sly & Robbie meet Nils Petter Molvær - Nordub (2018)

Sly & Robbie meet Nils Petter Molvær: Nordub

Anna Mieke - Idle-Mind (2019)

Anna Mieke: Idle Mind

Slow Moving Clouds - Starfall (2018)

Slow Moving Clouds: Starfall

Footer

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 Spellbinding Music | Website by Pagecrafted

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT