Kent-based indie-folk songwriter James Lloyd Smith releases the elegant and understated ‘Lake Walk’.
Bringing an instant lo-fi warmth comparable to Sufjan Stevens from its opening, the track quickly introduces its layered arrangement of intricate guitar piano, double bass and boxy distant drums. Organic and natural, the track manages to capture the earthy sound of Bibio, capturing the beauty of the English countryside drawing heavily on James’s routine of evening walks around Hever Castle & Gardens in Edenbridge, a meditative ritual that inspired the track’s atmosphere.
As the track develops bringing well placed field recordings and subtle glockenspiel, the result is a charming, elegant and wonderfully quaint track that is as beautiful and sincere as it is breezy and fun.
Calling the song a “thank you letter to the edifying quality of the natural world.”, James explains: “The Kent Countryside, sometimes known as The Garden Of England has had a huge influence on my sound. I try to write music that to some degree reflects how the landscape makes me feel.”
Self-produced on a 2011 MacBook Pro, the track’s core instrumentation includes a £10 parlour acoustic guitar James found on eBay. “I wanted to keep the palette of sounds fairly natural drawing from folk music and 1960’s baroque pop as inspirations,” he adds.
Listen for yourself below:
