“There’s so much stress and division in the world and Hinterland provides a space outside of that.” So says David Joseph, the creative mind behind the band, Held By Trees, when discussing, with Prog Magazine, the second album from this art-rock collective. Predominantly ambient music in the style of latter day Talk Talk/Mark Hollis, this album builds on the exceptionally well-received debut, Solace (2022), and their EPs Eventide (2023) and a collection of songs from 2024, also featuring vocals from Martin Smith.
A collective of musicians, they truly are, with luminaries from the Talk Talk/Hollis era (Robbie McIntosh (guitar), Laurence Pendrous (piano) and Andy Panayi (woodwind instruments)) and a multitude of others, no less talented but too numerous to mention here; however, I make special mention of Charlie Hollis, the son of Mark Hollis, who also features on piano on a number of tracks. The first album had no less than 20 credited musicians and many more have been given apparent equal weighting on recording, mix and mastering; this album follows in the same mould. Indeed, Joseph says that he has engaged over 50 musicians to date.
This 8 track album has been curated as four longer pieces joined with three shorter ones, wrapped up and closed out with a final coda. The sounds are heavily layered and, such is the attention to detail by Joseph, the curation and mix of this album is a masterstroke in itself. Returning to a purely instrumental format, there is no doubt that this pastoral work has a connection with the land and Joseph’s surroundings. He harks from the south coast of England and its rich variety of terrain. One only needs to consider the titles of tracks on earlier releases to appreciate the effect this has had on him: In The Trees, Wave Upon Wave, The Tree Of Life, Pure Sunlight, The Golden Hour, to name but a few.
Now, on this new album, we have The Boundary, The Path, The Snickett, and Boughs and Branches. These pieces are calming, yet joyous. The Boundary (1:37) is a wonderful joining piece of laid back jazz and ambience with saxophone at its core. The Path, at a mere two and half minutes, very effectively paints a picture of strolling down said path, perhaps alongside a bubbling brook; a tune centred around woodwind instruments with that constant reassuring beat and occasional snippets of piano, with its jazzy US East Coast saxophone providing the accompaniment. The Snickett, even shorter at less than than two minutes, is archetypal Talk Talk/Mark Hollis connecting two longer form tracks. And Boughs and Branches (4:57) has a darker feel to it; imagine a late autumn day, overcast with threatening skies, creaking gate hinges or swaying branches in the wind, this has a cinematic undertone, dominated by ethereal sound effects from field recordings and a variophon (an extraordinary synthesised wind instrument, heavily used on Talk Talk’s The Colour Of Spring) with moody piano at its core; it closes the album beautifully.
What of the longer form tracks? Straight out of the blocks, Edge Of Town (7:10) is an immense opener, at which I was wondering whether I had cued up a David Gilmour record. I’ll tell you this. The first two plus minutes makes this record a MUST BUY. And then the bass line fades in….. Forgive my momentary lapse of reason but this really is a Pink Floyd record, or at least out-takes from Roger Waters’ Amused To Death, isn’t it? No, but you can be forgiven for drawing the comparison.
Hinterland Soul (8:04): building from a gentle introduction drum beat, this track develops through Hammond organ and a rich bass line into the heaviest sound on the album, reminiscent of what one might expect from Airbag, with even a touch akin to Ally Carter’s (The Emerald Dawn) or Theo Travis’ saxophone sound. A maelstrom of noise between the calming effects from the regular drum beat, delicate piano chords and slightly detuned guitar, this is a tale of calmly entering into the scary unknown and emerging unscathed. Between States (5:50) is more mainstream ambient, thick with sound peppered with clarinet, painting a musical landscape of expanding countryside views and wisps of clouds, the occasional corvid crowing.
The Pylon Line (8:34) has a gorgeous acoustic guitar start, underpinned by synthesiser sound effects from variophon, Solina String Ensemble and a prominent and comforting Hammond organ. One can almost imagine the electrons coursing through those cables, the only man-made structure powering real life in the surrounding peaceful natural landscape. It’s a highlight of this record.
I am intrigued by Joseph’s explanation that the album is “a meandering celebration of the vague, the between places, the forgotten, nameless margins – not just in the landscape around us physically, but also internally – somewhere in the middle of faith and doubt, joy and melancholy, departure and arrival.” Whilst I have made certain comparisons, this is a unique work from a unique band that encourages quiet self-reflection. Certainly, on my part, if I’m kicking back and zoning out, my preference is always for instrumentals and Hinterland definitely warrants a dedicated listen from start to finish and I leave it feeling very much enriched; Boughs And Branches, right at the very end, is a really important track….…
There are a variety of release formats, not least the most splendid deluxe hardback book edition with CD, DVD for hi-res audio (which really provides an added dimension), accompanying films, bonus tracks and a glorious exclusive LP record. That’s the one to get, but be quick…..
This review would not be complete without a special mention of the accompanying artwork by Brighton-based mixed-media artist, Gareth Hayward. I’m a glutton for this type of abstract work and it sits supremely with the music. I am delighted to now have an alternative to the likes of Kurt Jackson and Richard Guy to view when immersing myself in this kind of sonic ambience. He explains that he “wants the viewer to complete the painting, to see something that is familiar to them.” The same can be said for Hinterland. This exceptional album conjures up an infinite number of images; I guess that’s the beauty of how music can influence the visual arts, and vice versa.
“You think of the best prog albums and they took you out of the world that you’re in now to somewhere else” (David Joseph, in conversation with Prog Magazine). He’s right, you know, and Hinterland does just that; a little piece of pure magic.
TRACK LISTING
01. Edge Of Town (7:10)
02. The Boundary (1:37)
03. Hinterland (8:04)
04. The Path (2:25)
05. Between States (5:50)
06. The Snickett (1:52)
07. The Pylon Line (8:34)
08. Boughs And Branches (4:57)
Total Time – 40:29
MUSICIANS
– (Core members)
David Joseph – Guitar, Piano, Occasional Vocals
Robbie McIntosh – Lead Guitar
Laurence Pendrous – Piano, Keyboards
Andy Panayi – Flute, Saxophone, Clarinet
James Grant – Double Bass, Bass
Paul Beavis – Drums
[As mentioned in the review over 50 musicians have contributed to the album]
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Tweed Jacket Music Ltd | Largo Records Distribution
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 4th April 2025
LINKS
Held By Trees – Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram
