Captain Glen’s Comfort is the much awaited debut album from one of the folk scene’s fastest rising bands, Pons Aelius. Due out on September the 8th, the album showcases the sextet’s expansive sound and unique approach to the traditional music of Britain and beyond; from fiery bagpipe jigs to tender mandolin fronted soundscapes, and everything in between.

Since winning a prestigious Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award in their early days, Pons Aelius have spent the last two years tirelessly honing their sound on stages both at home and abroad, quickly earning them a reputation as one of the most exciting new names on the circuit. “Our number one priority when we were making the album was to try and record as much of the energy of our live performances as we could”, says flautist Sam Partridge. Recognising that this would be no small task, the band assembled a crack team to help them capture their enormous sound: acclaimed Piper/multi-instrumentalist Calum MacCrimmon (Breabach/Man’s Ruin/Tryst) was pivotal in the pre-production phase, whilst veteran audio-wizards Mattie Foulds and Stuart Hamilton were tasked with the mixing and mastering respectively. The result is a colossal sound-world, drawing influences from far and wide, yet managing to unite them under one roof. The band’s double bass, guitar and bodhrán rhythm section provides a solid yet vibrant foundation for ambitious flute, whistle, bagpipe, mandolin and banjo lines.

Pons Aelius, who met on the Newcastle folk scene, will be touring in the UK and Europe throughout 2017 to support the album’s release. Catch them on the road and grab a copy after the show, or buy it online as a CD or download from September 8th.

'Oh My Doughnuts'

Professor Partridge – Bevan Morris
Oh My Doughnuts – Jordan Aikin/Sam Partridge

Oh My Doughnuts

After crossing paths in the northern city of Newcastle Upon Tyne, six young musicians immediately began to swap tunes, eventually forming the powerhouse of progressive instrumental folk that is Pons Aelius. Motivated by a collective enthusiasm and desire to share their distinctive style of music, the band have extensively toured the UK and Europe, bringing their much loved live energy to stages such as Celtic Connections, Towersey Festival and Priddy Folk Festival to name but a few. During this time, they have recorded an EP and a studio album- ‘Captain Glen’s Comfort,’ which was released to critical acclaim in 2017 and featured on radio shows around the world, including the BBC Radio 2 Folk show with Mark Radcliffe.

Driven by a dynamic frontline of bagpipes and whistles (Jordan Aikin), flute (Sam Partridge), tenor banjo and mandolin (Tom Kimber), the band are a melodic force to be reckoned with. In the stompbox and octave pedal era, Pons Aelius are proud to feature one of the scene's leading all-human rhythm sections, comprising Callum Younger (bodhrán kit innovator), Alasdair Paul (guitar/bouzouki) and Bevan Morris (double bass). With these powerful tools at their disposal, they are masters of both subtlety and intensity, exploring the capabilities of these acoustic instruments and producing a formidable sound.

Fire Under the Bridge, the band's second full length offering, represents a culmination of five years of road-earned experience. They have finally captured the essence of their live sound, and assembled a crack-team of production wizards to help them bottle it. At the helm was the inimitable Josh Clark (Flook, Kate Rusby), whose attention to detail and musical ear left no stone unturned. After a week of tracking at J&J Studios in Bristol, the recordings were mixed at Josh's home studio before being sent to Gran's House studio on the banks of the Clyde, where they were given their finishing touches by mastering engineer extraordinaire Chris Waite (masteredbychriswaite.com). Finally, the band commissioned local artist Dan Underwood to give the CD a fittingly dynamic sleeve. This cornucopia of bold arrangements and original tunes wouldn't have been possible without the support of the band's loyal fans, whom they'd like to thank for their generous crowdfunder contributions.

What can you expect from Fire Under the Bridge? There's only one way to know for sure. Get a copy, hit play, and take the first step down the road to enlightenment.