Sealing years of collaboration with their first official duo album, the singer and producer fuse folklore and the everyday with dazzling directness.

Since her debut album Wild and Undaunted in 2007, Londoner Lisa Knapp has carved out a distinctive path at the forefront of British folk. Her captivating vocals bring life to both original songs and traditional tunes, while the innovative arrangements of her partner and producer Gerry Diver have helped capture the mystery, beauty, and darkness of folklore.

On Hinterland, the duo delivers yet again, blending elements of folklore with the everyday in a way that feels both timeless and immediate. The album opens with “Hawk & Crow”, where Knapp showcases her playful side, channeling a cast of birds over a fractured, off-kilter rhythm—imagine a whimsical, elfin version of Tom Waits. The spoken-word “Train Song” shifts the scene to modern life with vivid imagery: “poplars tall, village hall, stately home, sewage works.” “Star Carr” then transports listeners back to the Mesolithic era of Yorkshire, where red deer antler headdresses hint at ancient ceremonies.

With intense fiddle playing from Diver, the album is accompanied by a range of evocative instrumentation that brings a touch of dusk to traditional ballads. Highlights include the tender “I Must Away Love”, the dark “Long Lankin”, and the heart-wrenching “Lass of Aughrim”, the latter where Knapp’s vocals carry a raw, emotional weight. Throughout the album, Knapp’s voice remains beautifully controlled but isn’t afraid to break into a raw yelp or cry, bringing a sense of authenticity and vulnerability to every song.

In their collaboration on Hinterland, Knapp and Diver have once again pushed the boundaries of folk music, creating a record that is both reverential and revolutionary—a stunning example of folk at its most exalted.