The Gildings is the moniker of singer songwriter Edmund Cottam, who hails from (broadly, at least) the North West and makes this striking baroque folk music. We’re very proud here at Backseat Mafia to premiere his new track Sweet Lady of the gently rolling plains, taken from his forthcoming debut album, The Twisting Vine, due out later in the year.
Written largely in Anglesey, where he retreated to for periods of exile and convalescence from the debilitating thyroid condition Graves’ disease, Cottam holed up in a cottage opposite an ivy-choked ruin where he suffered some of the effects of the disease with bouts of tremors, fatigue and severe anxiety. Returning from it with his album written he returned to record it, bringing in producer Martin Colclough (The Answering Machine), and having it mastered by Ed Woods (Manic Street Preachers, Idlewild, The Futureheads, Tom McRae).
Sweet Lady of the Rolling Hills has the feel, and indeed vocal of something much more folk driven than the electric infused backing track. There’s organ and this swaying bassline underneath everything, while the guitar chops away. It’s Cottam’s vocal that’s the most striking thing though – he slightly theatrical baritone surprising and mystical and slightly magical all at the same time. Throw in a guitar solo with (amongst other things) tambourine accompaniment, and its something different, but beautiful. The swoon of the chorus is worth the listen alone.
We wait with baited breath for the album.
Sweet Lady of the Gently Rolling Plains is out on 7th August.
https://www.facebook.com/TheGildings
