Helen Maw Pays Homage To Crosby Beach Iron Men In Enchanting New Track
Having recently signed with local independent record label Meadows Records and releasing her debut album Growing Pains back in April, singer-songwriter Helen Maw has released a brand-new track, the enchanting Keepers of the Sea.
This new track marks a stylistic shift away from Helen’s previous work, taking on a darker, folk-inspired tone. Released on September 13, the song was produced by Jon Lawton and recorded at Liverpool’s Crosstown Studios.
Maw cites Antony Gormley’s widely-recognised art installation Another Place as inspiration for the new track, otherwise known as the ‘Iron Men’ which stretch for 1.5 miles across Crosby Beach. A permanent fixture in the city for the past two decades, the statues are often overlooked by many, or as Helen describes, seen simply as “part of the furniture”.
Having been initially written for the Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting Competition, Helen lends her voice to tell the untold stories of the silent statues, reimagining the cast-iron sculptures to lead “secret hidden lives” and have individual personalities and dreams, yet be “destined for a life facing out to sea, guarding the city”. Exposed to the elements and often submerged under the water, “just waiting to be seen again”, Maw invites us to see the world through their perspective: “Covered by the sea and buried in the land” / Do you ever feel you won’t be found?”
Maw sets the scene with an extended, minute-long intro section cycling over a central grand piano riff, while subtle synth drones and haunting, siren-like harmonies create a captivating, yet ominous pull inwards. With the addition of cinematic percussion and soaring guitars, the instrumentation is otherwise kept to a minimum, allowing all focus to be drawn to the vocals, and the story being told through the lyrics.
“As a piece of art, these statues are a vital part of the fabric of the city, having become synonymous with our beloved beach”, Helen explains. The track intends to “pay homage to our silent protectors and how they might see the world around them”.
Keepers of the Sea explores a creative, thought-provoking concept with excellent production and vocals from Maw. It will be exciting to see what comes next from the burgeoning singer-songwriter!
Stream Keepers of the Sea now.
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Jude Bankier
