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I am happy to present my new 8 track album, “Elfhame” On this album I interpret Irish, Scottish and English medieval melodies, weaving them into dancefloor-oriented folktronica with intricate percussion rhythms and deep bass beats.

The title is a variant of an old Scots expression meaning “Elf-Home” or “Fairyland” (also related to old Norse “Alfheim”, the realm of the elves). The cover image alludes to elves as artists of natural beauty and protectors of nature, friends to all creatures of water, land, and air.

A wide range of tempos and rhythmic styles is represented here: There is a bright and upbeat Celtic dance energy in “Rose in the Heather”, “Aandowin at the Bow”, and “O’Keefe’s Slide”. Other tracks have an air of medieval mystery, with one track based on a Gregorian chant (“Of the Mystery Sing”) and another a rendition of the oldest English secular song with surviving notation (“Mirie It Is While Sumer Ilast” , dating back to the 13th century.)

A set of acoustic “unplugged” mixes is included exclusively as bonus tracks with a purchase of the full album on Bandcamp. These versions strip back the beats and electronic elements to reveal more of the underlying melodies, as well as the acoustic framedrum and tamborine parts, which form the rhythmic foundation of all of my music.

I hope you enjoy my latest journey through rhythm, melody, and musical heritage!

Scott Sterling weaves a web of percussive rhythm, melody, and line. Framedrums, tambourines, and low whistles mingle with bass beats and ethereal atmospheres, bringing the Celtic and British Islands traditional music into vital contemporary expression.

1. drumspyder.com