Enter the trance – AGENT STARLING unveil ‘Surrealista Enigma Musica’
INSPIRED by traditional chants and refrains, blending a heady mix of global sounds which guide the listener towards a blissful trance-like state, AGENT STARLING release fourth album ‘Surrealista Enigma Musica’ (via DHM).
The twelve tracks, featuring Lou Duffy-Howard (voices/bass/programming), Quentin Budworth, (hurdy-gurdy) and Dexter Duffy-Howard (violin) are influenced by musical traditions discovered across Europe, its themes magic, mysteries, myths, and dreams of a greener, peaceful world in the future – no matter how far off that may currently appear.
“I am much more interested in listening to, and writing songs inspired by, observing, or commenting on the wider world, rather than personal relationships,” explained Lou, “But I am generally optimistic. So even though world events seem to be spiralling down at the moment, there is always beauty in nature to be found, and to be protected.”
The album’s world party begins with ‘Automatic Writing,’ a hypnotic, manic, whirling dervish Stravinsky-esque affair, and a glimpse into the soul of this extraordinarily beautiful collection of songs.
But should ‘Automatic Writing’ foolishly leads you to believe Agent Starling might just have opted to begin proceedings with their strongest track – you couldn’t find yourself further from the truth.
“’Meet Me At The Souk’ made me think of being in an exotic market, and I made the video using phone footage my friend Sydpix took on a recent trip to Marrakesh, and we also used some of the sounds from the market as well.”
“’The Big Top’ brought a trapeze artist to mind, going higher and higher, and the ‘Amaranthine’ pair of songs are based on the idea the world will continue in some form whatever we do to it, it may be a dark future, or a light one – let’s hope it’s the latter.
“And it was different again with ‘The Charm’. I had an idea about recording the incantation vocal, turning it backwards, speaking it backwards and recording that, then turning that backwards which produced the incantation in a very strange accent. So I asked Quentin to record a gurdy line that sounded like magic – and that was the start of the song.”
Lou Duffy-Howard rose to fame via acclaimed, recently reformed indie band Red Guitars, and is also the driving force behind UK psych-rock outfit Loudhailer Electric Company. Quentin Budworth heads up the world fusion medieval rave band Celtarabia – with Agent Starling initially developed as an experimental recording project during the pandemic.
“Essentially I make music because I love doing it,” added Lou. “The creative process is addictive, I enjoy all of it including learning technical skills to get the end result I envisage. I love the feeling of having a track or project on the go, of starting with a new idea to bring to fruition.
“I’m always very happy when Quentin sends me a new hurdy-gurdy tune to work on, or I have recorded a new bassline or Dexter’s violin parts, and I am settling down to integrate them into the track. Getting new music ‘out there’ can be a slog which is why independent radio shows, websites, and magazines are so valuable in this world of ‘disposable music,’ but once an album is finished there’s a great sense of achievement and I am very pleased all the Agent Starling songs are brand new, there is nothing I’ve been sitting on for months, or rehashed from old ideas.”
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