Bjarke Ramsing’s latest full-length studio album joins a new generation of contemporary folk music, valuing the craft of more complex arrangements and poignant story-telling.
On the 25th of October 2024 Bjarke Ramsing is releasing his fourth studio album Preachers of the Pines. The album is a celebration of music across borders. Bridging a gab between his musical career in Denmark and the Netherlands.
Preachers of the Pines will be available on vinyl and all major streaming sites such as Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Youtube, Bandcamp, etc.
The album explores a universe of contemporary urban folk tales. Creating a new line of stories, spun from the well of dreams and make-believes and actual encounters. Preachers of the Pines tell tales of hermit kings, magical islands, roaring seas, open roads, fuelled worlds, dancing fools, crippled religions, failures and transformation. And dives into an array of good intentions gone astray.
The album is on one side just a classical acoustic folk album. But also pushes the envelope and morphs from beautiful harmonious folk ballads to jazzy instrumentals, over pumping rock ballads and further dwells into a long patchwork of roaring, gritty and droney explosion. That more makes one think of what stoner rock would have sounded like had it been played on acoustic instruments.
As a base the album features Bjarke’s Dutch quartet with Teun van Langen on double bass, Floris Venema on drums and Annelies Jonkers on violin. On harmonies the album is supported by Dutch Ruud Fieten and Romee Cooler from Holi Fools and Ari Bombari from Legiana. From Denmark the album features Lasse and Mikkel Krammer from Bare Orchestra on backing vocals and mandolin. And to tie it all together Simon Krindel on grand piano and keys.
Besides some local recording sessions in Denmark, the album was largely recorded and mixed in Bjarke’s own small studio in Arnhem (NL). Mastering was done by Wytse Gerichhausen from White Sea Studio. And the artwork of the record was created by Mirka Farabegoli who sought inspiration in the lyrics and by diving into the bizarre history of ornamental hermits.