Art Block is a brilliant and innovative singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in East London, England, who’s been making beautiful alternative folk music for nearly ten years. A prolific artist, he’s released an impressive catalog of music since the beginning of 2015, including numerous singles, EPs, remixes and three albums, two of which, Stones and Fire and borderline, were released in 2023 alone! I’ve featured him several times on this blog, most recently last June when I reviewed his wonderful EP Tiger. (You can read a few more of those reviews by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.) One of his songs, the haunting and gorgeous “White Horses”, went all the way to #1 on my Weekly Top 30 in December 2022, and ranks #26 on my 100 Best Songs of 2022 list.

On March 1st, Art Block released a new EP Dandelion, featuring three exquisite tracks inspired by the Northumberland coast and St Abbs, a small fishing village on the southeastern Scottish coast. The EP was produced, mixed and recorded by his longtime collaborator William Robertson at Super Symmetry Studios, and mastered by Tony Cousins at Metropolis Studios. Art Block played all instruments except for drums, which were played by Raphael Bouchara, another frequent collaborator of his. The lovely string arrangements were done by Joseph Robertson, with additional synths by Charlie Shan.

In addition to his sublime melodies, poetic lyrics and gorgeous arrangements, a defining aspect of Art Block’s music are his distinctive, deeply affecting vocals that are often so emotionally wrought, they rip at our heartstrings. The three songs on Dandelion are no exception. First up is “Journey”, a beautiful, cinematic song that I’m guessing uses the voyages of seamen, sailing from the Northumberland coast to distant lands, as a metaphor for how we take our idiosyncrasies and shortcomings with us wherever we go: “A journey from a distant light. Don’t you understand? The actions you made in the past echo now. A cold cold heart, frosty like the art burns in the arctic.” Musically, the song starts off with a delicately strummed guitar accompanied by gentle synths and faint sounds of the sea, then gradually builds into a dramatic soundscape highlighted by lush orchestral strings and AB’s lovely soaring harmonies.

The title track “Dandelion” serves up more beautifully strummed guitars, sumptuous strings and bold percussion, as AB plaintively sings “I feel I am like a Dandelion, burning in the sun, spreading pollen. Riding the wind through time, I spin, alone in my sphere. I’m separating. I’m caught in the rain, only He knows my pain. Teardrops of joy and you’re constantly away. Growing older fast. This dance is not our last. Float like a seed in the sky. Dandelion in an empty sky.”

On the moving third track “Holy Island”, AB sings his praises for Lindisfarne, a tidal island off the Northumberland coast also known as Holy Island, and how its beauty inspires and invigorates him, helping him to cope with life’s challenges, also giving a nod to Palestine: “Holy Island your clear blue sea, cleansing every part of me. Whispering winds, monks they pray to stop eternal damnation. Don’t believe they see your beauty, even appearing through the rain. I may feel but I am blind, wilted and worn out. Oh I cry and feel your soul. Aching in my dune-filled soul. Poetry so divine our future’s may so intertwine. Palestine I see you there, sweeter than you might care. Holy Island by the sea, you fill me with your beauty.” Again, a beautiful, strummed guitar and lilting strings are the dominant musical features, along with warbling synths and Raphael Bouchara’s wonderful cymbals creating the majestic sounds of waves gently crashing on the shore.

Once again, Art Block has delivered a sonically beautiful, flawlessly crafted, and intensely thought-provoking work. Though it contains only three tracks, Dandelion is deeply impactful nonetheless, leaving a lasting impression for all who take the time to give it a careful listen. I remain a dedicated follower and fan.

The header photo is of Art Block standing on a lonely road in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile.

Connect with Art Block: Facebook / X (Twitter) / Instagram
Find his music on Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube