Intelligent music for intelligent people, like you. Music Without Frontiers is a deliberately eclectic mix of jazz, blues, World music, reggae & other alternative styles. Usually a mix of new and classic tracks, this week's show features some of my favourites from 2023. The show is hosted by Graham Donlon for three hours every Sunday on The Most. Expect the unexpected!

Music Without Frontiers - 07 - 01 - 24

"Skate Away" is a hauntingly beautiful ballad in the style of Joni Mitchell's "River" and Natalie Merchant's "River", blending themes of longing, nostalgia, and the quiet stillness of winter. The song's delicate piano, warm bass, and soulful trumpet create a soothing yet melancholic atmosphere, perfectly complementing the poetic imagery of snowy streets, moonlit nights, and distant bells. With its introspective lyrics, the song invites listeners to reflect on love and the desire to escape into a peaceful, dreamlike world. "Skate Away" captures both the quiet beauty of winter landscapes and the enduring power of love, making it a perfect track for those who enjoy heartfelt, atmospheric music.

I heard a whisper in the night
Was it the winter wind blowing
I think it might be snowing
Far-off bells are ringing
Like faint voices singing
As the stars above are sleeping
It's your heart that I'm keeping
Oh, can we skate away?
I think about you every day
Oh, can we skate away?
Tell me we can skate away

The snowy street sleeps below
A dog is barking in the hushed night
While the moon creates a ghostly light
With the windows covered in frost
The night echoes are lost
I know I'm not dreaming
It's my heart that is beaming
Oh, can we skate away?
I think about you every day
Oh, can we skate away?
Tell me can we skate away

"Skate Away" Written and Performed by Northern Sky

Skate Away (Church Witton Gilbert)

"Skate Away" is a soulful journey of reflection, inspired by the gentle, melancholic beauty of Joni Mitchell’s River and the warmth of Natalie Merchant’s storytelling. With delicate piano melodies, soft bass lines, and the subtle elegance of a trumpet, the song drifts between nostalgia and serenity, evoking the quiet moments of winter and longing for something lost—or perhaps rediscovered. As the melodies skate across the surface, listeners are drawn into a place where memories glide like footprints across frozen lakes. 🌙✨

Let the music take you back.

Skate Away

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Northern Sky is a Detroit/London-based collaborative formed in 2021, crafting ethereal music that blends dreamy soundscapes with cinematic depth. Their music strikes a delicate balance between melody, emotion, and magic, influenced by timeless artists like Nick Drake and Norah Jones, as well as modern acts such as Beach House and The National.

At the heart of Northern Sky is Rose White, whose voice, like a soft breeze at twilight, guides the band’s sound with transcendent beauty. Supported by Eric Stajda, Dan Kendall, Steve Baker, and Andrea Di Fiore—who weave intricate layers of guitar, bass, drums, piano, synth, cello, and violin—the band creates soundscapes that are both fragile and infinite.

Northern Sky’s songs are vignettes, like postcards from distant places, carrying echoes of fleeting yet eternal memories. Tracks like "Paper Flowers," "Swimming in the Rain," and "Aurora" explore love, loss, and the bittersweet passage of time. Their music reflects the profound beauty found in life’s quietest moments, drawing inspiration from films that capture the magic in the everyday—Cinema Paradiso, Stolen Kisses, Sleepless Night in Paris, and Before Sunrise.

Northern Sky invites listeners to step into a world where music is not just heard, but felt deeply, offering a soundtrack for introspection, inspiration, and everything in between.

New tracks tagged #NatalieMerchant