Britain’s rivers - sacred places, liminal spaces …
… tranquil oases. The watercourses of Britain run deep with connections to folklore, tradition and art: from being home to celtic deities and the portal to the world of the dead, to inspiring poets and painters, from Tennyson to Turner, Monet to Hughes.
Kyson Point (the united forces of Kelly & David Booth) are the latest so inspired, taking their local River Deben* as their muse for Dark River, the first single from their debut album Underwater Sky. The song addresses the river as a friend, companion, confidante, provider; a restless yet steady presence and connection to both landscape and history.
Musically Dark River is full of fluvial qualities: sparkling, finger-picked acoustic and cymbal splashes evoke a sun-spangled stream, the simple, lilting melody delivered softly and breathily by Kelly, and two-voice unison passages and exchanges in the chorus continue the feeling of small scale, babbling flow.
David joins the lead vocal as the current swells and grows, and before long the folky vibe begins to meander, expanding and becoming wide and smooth in polished Crosby & Nash-like harmonies and chords, fuller arrangements with added high-capoed guitar (or perhaps mandolin) and a more powerfully flowing lead line from Kelly sweeping us downstream to the closing fade.
An impressive taster for the upcoming album, and (despite the West Coast sheen) brimming over with the quintessential ‘genius loci’ quality of the best of English folk.
Dark River will be released on 26th September 2025, followed by the full album on 7th November.
Written & produced by Kelly & David Booth
Kelly - voice, synth David - voice, drums/percussion, guitars, double bass Recorded & mixed by David at The Recording Booth, Suffolk, UK Mastered by Joe Vegna in Stockholm, Sweden
*The name Deben possibly derives from Dēope meaning 'the deep one’ (appropriately enough)! Not a lot of people know that.