Shy Charles is no stranger to the pages of QX, and recently they released their debut EP ‘Shylent Night’. Featuring mainly traditional songs dating from the 16th century (such as ‘Gaudete’), ‘Shylent Night’ aims to bring the usually quiet harp to the forefront of the musical arrangements, harnessing its unique tone as the consistent sound through a collection of Yuletide favourites of the British folk tradition.
The EP also includes a new age cover of the Spice Girls’ 1996 Christmas number one ‘2 Become 1,’ making the case for the classic song – with its cosy, shimmery sweetness – as an overlooked addition to the festive canon.
The EP was inspired by their youth in the West Country and uses soundscapes to evoke the bleak romance of winter by the sea.
From the raucous percussion of ‘I Saw Three Ships’ to the mournful violin of ‘Coventry Carol,’ supporting musicians have contributed to the EP. The majority of these have been queer artists, including the writer and DJ Aisha Mirza, who provided background vocals on ‘Gaudete,’ and the producer and artist Sasha Wilde who produced ‘2 Become 1.’ The cover art is by Henry Petrides
Shy Charles told QX: “I think these are some of the most evocative and special Christmas songs, and putting them together has been wonderful. Most of the songs are ones I have been performing for years.
“I love the challenge of writing new harp music for known songs, which is tricky as a self-taught player with an unconventional technique. When Mark Gatiss shared a video of me playing ‘Coventry Carol’ there were a few kind comments from his followers which made me listen again to what I had done, and I was quite pleased with the harp accompaniment I had composed.
“After this, I was thinking of making a Christmas EP, and a friend suggested the title ‘Shylent Night’ as a pun on my name. I knew I had to do it. Many of the best ideas start as jokes, and now that it’s finished, I hope this music will bring some merriment this winter.”
‘Shylent Night’ will have a digital release to Spotify and other music platforms now
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shycharlesmusic/
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Twitter: https://x.com/shy_charles
