Ian Humberstone - Midsummer Tideline Ian Humberstone

Midsummer Tideline was written over several years while researching maritime folklore in Scotland’s Northern Isles. The songs arrived slowly during this time, written in the evenings once my main work was done for the day. They dwell on the nature of land and sea, the uncertainty of the foreshore, and the tide as a metaphor for the breath.

These recurring themes work their way through the music, but the album is also a document of lived experiences. The song Granderi - a Shetland word for magical art or skill - grew from a morning on Fetlar, waking on a beach as golden rays arched out over the hills in pink light.

The album was recorded at Analogue Catalogue in Northern Ireland; with a group of musicians playing together in a room, recording to magnetic tape through an analogue desk. Additional overdubs were made at Abdie and Dunbog Parish Church near Perth in Scotland. The album benefits greatly from the contributing talents of Emily Scott, Sarah Hayes, Owen Curtis Williams, Pete Harvey and the Pumpkinseeds.

Released on vinyl as the second volume in the DVRC Lantern Series.