'Adrift' is the third chapter from Day of Embers - a moment of clarity after unspeakable violence and upheaval, summoning your strength and doing what you must in order to survive.

This chapter was inspired by Peggy Mullan’s journey from Derry to Canada after her family was caught in the crossfires of war. There is certainly a fighting spirit in this bloodline and a strong sense of justice - fighting for their homeland, fighting for basic human rights. While Peggy’s father was fiercely supportive of this fight, there was a moment of clarity for her mother- when the battle would also involve her young children as soldiers. This was no longer a war they wanted part of- “the ship’s adrift, ‘tis time to leave”.

Art by Nálii Kreéture
Production & instrumentation by Daryl James
Voice, percussion & lyrics by Dawn
Violin by Daniel Lopez
Cello by Eleanor Streatfeild
Bodhran by John Druery & Neil Carter

Adrift

Oceans Apart is the 4th chapter by Day of Embers. Leaving their tumultuous pasts behind, they met and fell in love on the rocky shores of Holyhead. When 3 moons passed, at dusk they wed. They looked to the horizon and saw the world of possibility, another chance voyage that would take them across the Atlantic with hope in their hearts and stars in their eyes. Alas, the Ocean had other plans in store for them…

Production wizardry, vocals, guitar & drums by Daryl James

Lyrics, story, vocals, tin whistle & piano by Dawn 

Accordion by Kris Field

Oceans Apart

'Mighty King' is the 6th Chapter of Day of Embers 9 part twisted roots/folklore series. This is a tale of a tipping scale with some serious fire in the belly... Karmic justice for oppression and abuse of power. It is a spell from the depths of the soul of anyone who has been held down or silenced, to spark forth a change and unlock the chains to unbounded freedom. Silenced no more. 
  
'Mighty King' is the story of a man so enraptured by his own power and wealth that he turned his back on his people, abusing the vulnerable and those who slipped through the cracks of this corrupt society. This was 'unseen' and 'unspoken', a reality that continued for the entirety of his rule and all kings before him. Then one day he called upon the red caped woman... With a mind poisoned by his own greed and entitlement, he disregards her good advice and commits a crime that returns to haunt his soul with fiery vengeance. The king abuses his power for the very last time…

Mighty King, high upon your throne
God and man, you believe that you’re above
But in the crowd you fail to see
The red caped woman, well she’s staring up at thee

Nonchalant as his people suffer now
Turns his back, diamonds shine on his crown
Turns to his jewels but he feels no joy
Calls upon the woman whose affection he employs

Be careful what you wish for 

In the chamber bed, his advances she denies
Enraged he reaches for the iron in the fire
Brands her breast as he forces his desire
The red caped woman placed a curse upon the sire

She says, ‘pray tell, if you had one wish?’
He said, ‘I’d live forever, with my riches I would dwell’
‘Your majesty, I wish you well...
For you can't take your treasures to the furnace of your hell’

Be careful what you wish for

Mighty King

Released 15th of October, which is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. It is a day to remember the loss of our tiny angels to miscarriage, stillbirth and SIDS, amongst other reasons that sometimes cannot be explained. A couple of months ago, Daryl and I very sadly lost our little ‘star’ and have written the song ‘Seren Light’ to remember this time 

‘Seren’ is the Welsh word for ‘Star', this was the name we had chosen for her. I wasn’t sure if I could have children so Seren was a precious gift to us and filled our hearts with hopes and dreams for the future. We still feel very blessed to have traveled this chapter together and our love for each other has only grown stronger. Miscarriage is something that is common, but this doesn’t take away from the immense grief and pain you can experience through the loss and as your body heals and readjusts hormonally, amongst everything else. The hormone crash can also really plummet you into despair and deep depression - and isolation, which makes it much worse - it’s hard to talk about it because it still feels like a taboo subject. We are also both very far away from our families. Daryl found this incredibly hard as well. We just wanted to hug everyone. Hence, music yet again becomes our connection and healing medicine through all of our life lessons, traumas, grief and heartache. It becomes the celebration of what we survive and grow through, too.

So like a feather swept into the sky, we send this song up into the stars with love and with deep compassion for you, particularly if you have experienced this too. Our beautiful stars in the sky will never be forgotten.

We would again like to thank our dear friends at The Australian Session Orchestra with all of our hearts, Daniel Lopez & Eleanor Streatfeild for their stunning string arrangement that lifts the song up into the heavens above. Thank you also to Nálii Kreéture for your illustrative magic that always sparks our music to life.


Seren Starlight, 
Up above in eternal flight, 
Incandescent feather, 
Swept into a moonless night.

Rest, gentle soul, 
Blessed with your healing light, 
Unhindered, unburdened, unbroken.
Safe cradle of this height,
‘Til you are ready to journey
This earthly site,
Take your first flight.

Little Seren Light
It’ll be alright

Distant firelight,
Burn the kindling of years gone by.
Glistening with ember,
Settling sail over the moonlit tide.

Your precious heart,
Not yet able to start.
Know life can be cruel,
It can break your
Entire world apart,
But one single flicker
Of your light is
Ever bright.
It will be alright.

Little Seren light
It’ll be alright

Little Seren light
It’ll be alright.

Seren Light (Ft. Australian Session Orchestra)

Our next chapter is out on the 26th of November. After the fires raged, this is a song about retracing your roots from the silt and soot of ground zero. Falling down to find your feet and your voice again. Letting in the love and the light to this great clearing, the growth of hope and new life.

Sometimes we disappear,
So deep you can't see for the fear
Close the book and the lights are out 
Heartbeats deafening just want to shut it out

I'm not a stranger to the world of shadows 
I find comfort behind, a wall of tempered glass windows 
I bare all if the pain and the cruelty that were all about
Just want to shut it out 

Falling down 

Til love light like the sun
Live light like the sun

Until you can hide no more 
To the light were unearthing the floor 
Poisonous vines clawing up at the door 
I cannot hide from the ghosts anymore, can't  shut it out 
Cannot shut it out

I've had to face death, jump off the crumbling edge
of all I've built and let go retrace my roots from the silt beneath the doubt
and the burden of the proof that forced my voice to shout
I cannot shut it out

Love Light Like The Sun

Do you know the road to the Apple Tree, the one that leads me back to thee?

I have no faith, I have faith in the light,
I am no saint but I do stand for what is right.
Won’t you stay for a moment or two?
I’d love to light the fire, break my bread with you.

In these beliefs I seek only to find peace,
And these dreams that I hold close me.
I will share, can we sit for awhile? 
I will listen as we exchange with a smile.

Twas a rocky road to the Apple Tree, the one that led me back to thee.

What of these dreams, have they led you from the start?
Are they the reason you are bearing battle scars?
I will tend to you, ranger from afar,
This is the place that you may rest your weary heart.

I rode alone through the rain and the snow. 
Chased by demons from justice I run,
Trust my heart through the bloodshed that night,
Now I'm banished for doing what was right. 

Twas a bloody road to the Apple Tree, the one that led me back to thee.

You seek salvation but there's something you must know.
I too have faced my maker, fire to the snow.
They tried to burn me upon the stake where embers glow,
But I don’t haunt these woods, I help the forest grow.

Through this dark mist my spirit's found it's way to you.
Through the trees, winds are howling for the truth.
Both been broken by these beasts of burden too,
With hearts aligned, the darkness passes out of view.

Twas a fiery road to the Apple Tree, the one that led me back to thee.

Eclipse has passed, the seed is sown, fruit has fallen from this tree.
Forest through the trees, finally I see, it was meant to be, darlin come to me.

Do you know the road to the Apple Tree, the one that led me back to thee?

Apple Seed

Recorded in the serene beauty of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, "Stone in a Restless Sea" is a powerful reflection on finding peace amidst chaos. Anchored by a deep, expansive accordion that grounds the track, a vibrant mandolin melody dancing above, and harmonies weaving effortlessly throughout, the track invites listeners to let go of what holds them back and embrace freedom and calm. This evocative song is both an ode to turbulent times and a soothing remedy for the storm within.



Stone in a Restless Sea

New Brighton

Chapter 2 from Day of Ember’s debut 9-part twisted RootsFolklore series. 

Anchored in lushly fingerpicked guitar while delicately building vocals haunt the wind, you’re quickly hypnotized into peaceful relaxation, drifting like the weaving Cello into times long gone. A simple Shepherd looks out to sea from the cliffs edge – the edge of everything he knows, searching the horizon for a sign. 

Face the rain today, for the sun will come tomorrow.

Shepherd Song

Born of love, myth and traditional folklore, Day of Embers is a duo of Celtic and seafaring rhythms interlaced with age-old tales of love, loss, survival and justice. Combining the multi-instrumental talents of singer-songwriters, Welshman Daryl James, and Dawn, a bewitching vocalist of Canadian, Irish and Indian descent, DoE weaves spectacular harmonies with banjo, autoharp, tin whistle, guitar and mandolin. 
While Daryl and Dawn were born on opposite sides of the globe, their musical roots transcend borders, coming together in a rich tapestry of sea shanties and rousing ballads. Each of their songs is a chapter of an epic journey featuring fictional characters whose love prevails. From the cliffs of Derry and mountains of Snowdonia, through battles, storms and treacherous seas, to the wild woods and rocky roads of the Americas, DoE takes the listener on musical adventures that are as lyrically engaging as they are tuneful.
Formed during the time of COVID, DoE became a place to express love, celebrate family and heal personal wounds. Lovers in life and music, Daryl and Dawn gravitated to one another to process hardship and escape into a wonderland of song and fictional characters who face their fears and challenges with brave, open hearts.

Day Of Embers

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