Three contemplative folk singer songwriters that you’ll want for your own private collection

Bryony Lloyd – “Moon in Libra”
-From the first time I clicked play on this track, I knew I was going to be a fan. It’s impossible not to compare Bryony Lloyd with Dodie Clark. The delicate folk guitar and subtle clarinet in the background is all delightfully Dodie. I’m glad to know there’s someone else writing in that space. The sense of melody here is also wonderful and exploratory. This song feels like sitting with a friend as a child playing with your imagination. The lightness of the chorus pointing the listener to the moon in libra, this astrological sentimentality with a light imaginative energy is just… it’s wonderful. I hope many folk fans will give this artful folk piece a chance. It’s such a breath of fresh air.

Noelle Francis – “need a little time”
-This is my second time featuring a Noelle Francis tune and, let me just say, I don’t think it will be the last. There’s a consistency and quality to the songwriting that really works well. The acoustic core of this track is really enjoyable, but the vocal is also super solid. The combination… the whole “vibe” is really satisfying to the ear and just makes you feel good to listen to this sound. I’m going to reference a deep cut, but this sound reminds me of what I first felt when I listened to Jennifer Knapp years ago. It’s hard to find that energy, but I do think Francis has some of that here. It’s a vibey folk energy that both commands attention and encourages you to just sit back. I appreciate the juxtaposition in the lyrics about appreciation but needing a little time. Amen and amen.

John White – “Inertia”
-There’s nothing I can say in this writeup that will prepare you for the beauty that you are about to hear if you click play on this track. I could say that it’s a contemplative piano and a lovely voice, but if you don’t click play you’ll never know just how pretty this whole listening experience is. If someone asked me for a definition of dream pop, I might just send them a link to this song. As the song transitions (around the 1:30 mark), it becomes more like sitting down with a friend in reality, rather than the dreamy opening energy to the song. But you know what? That’s how life is lived. We have these delightful moments of dreamlike bliss that bounce around our gritty, more realistic moments. For me, this song cultivates awareness and a lightness of being that I absolutely need to be reminded of more often. I adore this composition so much and hope to come back to it often.

Image courtesy: Bryony Lloyd IG