Mae Karthauser's brand new album, August, is a collection of songs that were each written in one day, all within one month: August 2021. The songs were arranged for the trio of piano, flute and cello with three vocals, allowing for imagination and innovation to flourish. In the spirit of 1960s Laurel Canyon, these 14 songs were recorded in just 2 days as live performances at the Sorting Room Studio in Dartington, home turf for the musicians and a return to Mae's place of musical study. Simplicity and authenticity are prioritised over technical "perfection" to capture the vibrancy of these adventurous songs as they emerge from the ether and into the material world. The result is a raw, real, and relatable energy that carries the listener on a journey through many magical worlds.

13 - August - Dear Nora

11 - August - This Donkey Ride

10 - August - Conjure Up A Shadow

09 - August - What If

08 - August - Ask No Questions

07 - August - The Tale Of Every Man

06 - August - When

04 - August - Factory Of The Mind

03 - August - Accordion Song

02 - August - Come My Love

“Army Dreamers has been part of my set for awhile, including our recent album launch at Dartington Great Hall,” says Mae. “People request it – I think it strikes a chord, particularly with the situation unfolding in Ukraine and in the Middle East.”

Breathing new life into the Kate Bush 1980 anti-war classic, Mae’s silken, athletic vocal soars dove-like over her sublime, luxuriant piano playing. Mae is joined on the recording by regular collaborators Ben Roberts on cello, and Ronja Schlumberger on flute.

“The lyrics to Army Dreamers are utterly spellbinding,” says Mae. “Kate Bush is a genius, a national treasure, and such an important artist for me. Listen to the lyrics… it’s a mother, whose son has been sent to fight, and now she finds out he isn’t coming home.

“It’s a desperate cry from the heart – the sort of cry we all know must be going on so tragically often in these places around the world right now. A haunting reflection on the sheer bloody waste, the mindless futility of war.”

Mae is a Devon based songwriter and musician based in Totnes, Devon. After more than a decade performing across UK and Europe under her own name (and her band The Midnight Fairground), the year 2020 saw a move back to her roots, focusing once again on melody, simplicity and raw honesty. As the world plunged into lockdowns, entirely new songs were emerging, which in collaboration with cellist Ben Roberts and flautist Ronja Schlumberger are brought to life on the latest album “August”.

Together this trio have explored the edges of their instruments and expanded their sound palettes in order to create raw, real, and relatable music that carries the listener through many tender worlds.

Listen in, stay tuned and follow us on social media for news, tour dates and future releases.

LATEST ALBUM "AUGUST" CAME OUT FRIDAY 17th MARCH 2023.
Order here: www.maekarthauser.co.uk

Army Dreamers

Army Dreamers [radio edit]

Mae Karthauser is a Devon-based songwriter with a rich, acrobatic voice and a style that is distinctive yet impossible to place. Raised in a musical family and one of seven children, she began learning piano, violin and singing as a child. Her debut performance came in 1990 – aged 5 - when dressed as a policeman she sang her solo on the Abbotts Ann village hall stage.

Alongside multiple tours in France and across Europe she has recorded four albums, one of which was featured in the Flying Frenchies' daredevil circus film "Petit Bus Rouge". She has also been featured on Radio 3, Radio 6 and has performed live on the roof of Television Studios for BBC2's The One Show. 

The year 2020 brought a powerful shift to reality, and as the world plunged into lockdowns, new songs with a new feel were emerging. This time and space allowed Mae to re-invent her sound: a move back to her roots, focusing once again on melody, simplicity and fragile honesty.

With a desire to delve deeper into other melody instruments, she recruited flautist Ronja Schlumberger and cellist Ben Roberts to complement these latest songs. Together this trio have explored the edges of their instruments and expanded their sound palettes in order to bring life to the new material. A broad range of soundscapes and atmospheres conjure an explosive spectrum of qualities made purely with voice and acoustic instrumentation.

Inspired by the likes of Albin De La Simone, Agnes Obel, Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake (and somehow rather unlike any of them) these new songs dance childlike through tender, magical and dark terrain.

The latest album “August” was released on 17th March 2023 to a sell out audience at The Great Hall, Dartington.

Mae Karthauser

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