Fiona Soe Paing – Sand Silt Flint

Each week we feature an artist with new music coming out across Scotland. Last week we featured Darren McGarvey’s last album as Loki, this week we feature an artist working in a completely different genre. What even is this genre? The Press & Journal called it “Massive Attack meets bothy ballads”, some have called it “electro alt-folk”.

Aberdeenshire musician Fiona Soe Paing is set to captivate audiences throughout Scotland with the mesmerising audio-visual show of her album Sand, Silt, Flint. Sparked by discovering she’s related to one of the region’s original ballad singers, John Strachan, Fiona returned to her roots to create the album. Sand, Silt, Flint is inspired by the landscape and folklore of Northeast Scotland, but the show takes a twist on tradition in its contemporary re-imaginings of traditional ballads.

Each track is linked to a specific location and its story, from The Lecht in the Cairngorms Banffshire coast. Woven into the music are contributions from some of the area’s premier instrumentalists: fiddle player Paul Anderson, cellist Alice Allen, clarinettist Joanna Nicholson, clarsach player Irene Watt, sound artist Thee Manual Labour and drummer David McKay.

Fiona Soe Paing’s innovative brew melds her Scottish/Burmese heritage, electronic music background and fascination with the darker side of North-East Scotland’s balladry tradition with a palette of silvery electronic textures and traditional Scottish sounds. Otherworldly vocals, grainy synths, haunted strings, archival material and sounds from nature create a mesmerising and evocative soundtrack for the accompanying visuals by collaborator Isla Goldie.

Described by Songlines Magazine as “a sublimely powerful and lingering experience”, re-imaginings of traditional ballads and ancient stories conjure a compelling blend of tradition and innovation. “Wow, that’s advanced, and beautiful!” (Iggy Pop, BBC 6 Music)

Building on the success of the digital album Sand Silt Flint, and now coinciding with its physical CD release, the show will bring the music and North East locations to life. Fiona’s performance will be accompanied by stunning visuals from the songs’ locations created by filmmaker and artist Isla Goldie. Fiona’s costume, created by artist April Pressley incorporating locally sourced found objects and natural materials, resonates with the landscapes that inspired the album.

Sand Silt Flint will be performed across the highland and north-east through February and March.

Tour Dates:

Friday 28 February 2025, 7pm: The Lemon Tree, West North Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5AT

Saturday 15 March 2025, 7:00pm: Forglen Hall, Turriff, AberdeenshireAB53 4JL

Saturday 29 March 2025, 7:30pm: Skye Bridge Studios, The Old School, Main Street, Kyle of Lochalsh, IV40 8DA

Saturday 03 May 2025, 7:30pm: Universal Hall , The Park, Findhorn, IV36 3TZ

Saturday 17 May 2025, 7:30pm: Collision Community Hall, Hightown, Collieston, Aberdeenshire, AB41 8RS

Friday 23 May 2025, 8:00pm: The Barn, Burn O Bennie, Banchory, AberdeenshireAB31 5QA

Image Credits: Isla Goldie

 

Instagram @FionaSoePaing

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