Orwell Court

Dreamy folk from Glasgow. In five words: like Nick Drake, but better. This is the aural equivalent of walking through a wet forest on a cloudy day. A thick mist of reverb surrounds Dickson’s nylon-string fingerpicking and hushed Scottish burr. Irresistibly beautiful, not to mention addictive. Features occasional backing vocals from folk legend Vashti Bunyan, with whom Dickson has toured for years. (Also see his 2012 album Quite a Way Away, one of my desert island records.) Favorites: 2, 3, 7. All tracks great, though. No FCCs.

1. (4:18)—Mid-tempo, upbeat, serene. Slow finish.
2. *(4:38)—Slow, minor-key, ominous intro. Gorgeous arpeggios ascending to the sky. Picks up speed, with soft, droning bass and ghostly vocal harmonizing.
3. *(5:17)—Long, slow, melancholy intro before a jump in speed. Subtle percussion and watery keyboards.
4. (5:52)—Soothing, lullaby-like. Starts slow and speeds up gradually. Graceful guitar flourishes. Reminiscent of pre-logorrhea Sun Kil Moon.
5. (5:05)—Steady, galloping fingerpicking. Soft harmonica, doubled vocals.
6. (5:47)—Instrumental. Very hazy, droning, soft beginning. Blankets of guitar. Gets deeper and deeper, develops a little dissonance.
7. *(5:07)—Cover of Joy Division’s “Atmosphere.” Slow, plodding, shimmering, simple, peaceful.