Matt Howden and Keith Howden – Language For Stone

Archaeological

Poet Keith Howden and his son, musician Matt Howden who trades under the name Sieben, have been collaborating for many years. Here on their latest release, they are following in the footsteps of eighteenth-century wanderer Peter Crosthwaite, who spent time searching Cumbria for singing stones.

Taking their cue from his original lithophone, they took long searching walks through the wilds of the region, hoping to uncover more suitable stones. The voyage of discovery was a success and using the found sounds, Matt constructed a series of soundscapes against which Keith intoned poetry written in honour of local peak Skiddaw.

The rush of water and the electronic scurf that introduced the album immediately sets the natural with the constructed. As planes soar overhead, Matt’s violin outlines the tension and wildness of this particular area. Keith’s voice is from that landscape, and his love of the outdoors comes through in the warm northern English tones; but the esoteric nature of the words, describing ancient geology, are secure in their place within this wilderness. While strings whine and found sounds echo, seeking solace, the piano searches as the words soldier on.

The unique tones of the stones tap out a rhythm that defies time, a ritualistic momentum that speaks to us as something innate. On the long-form “Innate Symphonies Of Land”, Keith’s voice ascends from a spoken-word delivery to a warming croon, akin to No-man‘s Tim Bowness, while the violin flits like campfire sparks, keeping the dark at bay as the adventurers continue further into the distance. The voice is lush and revels in the words, and the martial rhythm and mantra-like delivery underscore the incessant progression.

The phrase “oratorio of magma” really stood out for me, and perhaps describe perfectly Keith’s desire to do justice to the ancient scenes around him. He does his best to capture a time before speech, his minimalist yet resonant poetry channelling the history and mystery of the land, perfectly allied to the stones that ring like a dense vibraphone. Sometimes the simple rhythm is conjoined with electronic swathes and string sweeps, a concoction that merges the ancient and modern in a natural way. It feels strident and assured, enigmatic and ancient yet steady; and although in places the synths attempt to ape the stones, they never quite manage.

Throughout the album, Matt attempts different combinations of sounds to set against Keith’s poetry, giving the impression of constant movement through a landscape. The poetry sometimes gives the impression of a cut and paste snapshot, but the delivery imbues those words with depth and meaning while the strings, the words’ antithesis, strain against them, keening and feral. Towards the end, a few abstract sounds underline the importance of the words in a desire to help us understand the geography; while the final piece finds the two caught in the studio as if preparing themselves for the journey ahead.

This release is the first in a series that Archaeological Records are dedicating to singing stones. Trips to Vietnam, Spain and France are in the pipeline; but for now, allow the essence of our Earth to draw you away into the Cumbrian wilds and the majesty that landscape offers.

-Mr Olivetti-