Blake and Music, 2021 Blake and Music, 2021 By Camila Oliveira and Jason Whittaker Camila Oliveira (camila.querino@etu.unige.ch) is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva. She holds a PhD in English literature from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and King’s College London on the translation of Blake’s Jerusalem into Portuguese and biblical intertextuality. She is currently working on Romanticism and music reception and writing a monograph on William Blake and contemporary music. Jason Whittaker (jwhittaker@lincoln.ac.uk) is head of the School of English and Journalism at the University of Lincoln. He is the author and editor of several works on Blake, including William Blake and the Myths of Britain (Palgrave, 1999), Radical Blake: Influence and Afterlife from 1827 (with Shirley Dent, Palgrave, 2002), Divine Images: The Life and Work of William Blake (Reaktion Books, 2021), and Jerusalem: Blake, Parry and the Fight for Englishness (forthcoming, Oxford University Press, 2022). His main research interests deal with the reception of Blake, and he is the editor of the site Zoamorphosis. Last year’s introduction observed that the global pandemic had seen the flourishing of streaming settings of Blake’s works, particularly for individual artists who clearly turned to music as a creative release from the stresses caused by COVID. Indeed, the list for 2020 recorded more new releases than that for 2019, but, by concentrating on the services provided by Amazon, Apple, and Spotify, it did not account for a wealth of independent productions that were released on Bandcamp and SoundCloud. As such, half of this year’s list consists of tracks and albums from 2020, thanks to the research of Camila Oliveira. In future, we shall include more independent artists, many of whom embody Blake’s creative ethos more thoroughly than established musicians and songwriters. The majority of releases during 2021, as well as those that were independently released in 2020, are settings of a single poem, with “The Tyger” and “The Sick Rose” being among the most popular. Nevertheless, there are several albums or extended collections of Blake-inspired music that deserve special mention. Yann Lecollaire’s compositions on The States of the Human Soul, with vocal arrangements by Sarah Klenes, are especially beautiful and haunting, while John Pope and John Garner’s highly experimental collection Judas is an original sound meditation on “On Anothers Sorrow.” Interestingly, we have come across a number of songs in which Blake himself is the theme; the cult of personality seems stronger than ever and merits a separate publication and study. We have also included settings inspired by Blake’s visual work, as is the case with the blues track “The Glad Day” by the American duo Vaca Sagrada. As in previous versions, this list omits tracks that are based on a single quotation from or allusion to Blake’s work. Wherever possible, the country of the artist is given, as well as the work’s instrumentation, duration, publisher, copyright date, genre, and format. Most entries include at least one link to a recording. 48 Cameras with Edward Ka-Spel — Belgium Songs from the Marriage of Heaven & Hell; for voice, synthesizers. 00:14:16. Interzone, © 2019. Dark ambient. CD/​streaming. Tracks: 1. The Voice of the Devil; 2. A Memorable Fancy #1; 3. The Wedding; 4. A Memorable Fancy #2; 5. The Divorce. Link: Bandcamp. Albinotron — USA From Arthropoda Insecta; for guitar, synthesizers. 00:02:01. Independent, © 2020. Electronic/​dark ambient. Streaming. Track: 11. Urizen. Note: Instrumental. Links: Apple, Bandcamp, Spotify. Argoal — France The Chapel; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:02:06. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming. Track: 1. The Chapel [“The Garden of Love”]. Link: SoundCloud. Argoal — France The Garden of Love; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:03:48. Independent, © 2021. Folk. Streaming. Track: 1. The Garden of Love. Note: This version is different from “The Chapel,” listed above. Link: SoundCloud. Argoal — France Hear the Voice; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:02:52. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming. Track: 1. Hear the Voice. Link: SoundCloud. Argoal — France Nurse’s Song; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:02:48. Independent, © 2019. Folk. Streaming. Track: 1. Nurse’s Song [Experience]. Link: SoundCloud. Argoal — France The Voice of the Ancient Bard; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:03:10. Independent, © 2019. Folk. Streaming. Track: 1. The Voice of the Ancient Bard. Link: SoundCloud. Bag, August — UK Four Selected Poems by William Blake; for voice, guitar. 00:07:38. Independent, © 2021. Folk. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Nurse’s Song (Sons of Industries); 2. London; 3. Introduction to the Songs of Innocence; 4. Merry, Merry Sparrow. Link: Bandcamp. Barkoskie, Alvez, IV — USA Little Lamb; for voice, orchestra. 00:04:39. Independent, © 2021. Classical. Streaming. Track: 1. Little Lamb. Link: SoundCloud. Berta & Nico — Spain Canciones de Experiencia; for voice, guitar. 00:11:51. Independent, © 2021. Folk/​indie. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Preámbulo; 2. Introducción; 3. La mosca; 4. Mi bello rosal; 5. Oh girasol; 6. La rosa enferma; 7. El lírio; 8. La voz del antiguo bardo. Note: Poems translated into Spanish. Link: SoundCloud. Blake — USA Songs of Innocence and of Experience; for voice, guitar, drums, keyboards. 00:22:42. Independent, © 2020–​21. Folk/​indie. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Night; 2. Nurse’s Song; 3. Garden of Love; 4. A Dream; 5. On Another’s Sorrow. Link: Bandcamp. Bourdon, Benoit — France My William Blake Song Book; for voice, guitar, strings. 00:24:35. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming. Tracks: 1. The Sick Rose; 2. Infant Joy; 3. The Cradle Song; 4. Laughing Song; 5. On Another’s Sorrow. Link: Bandcamp. Bromide, Simon — UK From Following the Moon; for voice, guitar, electronics. 00:03:54. Piccadilly Records, © 2021. Rock. CD/​streaming. Track: 9. Earth’s Answer. Links: Apple, Spotify. The Canal — Czech Republic/​Panama From Transatlantic P(h)o(n)em Session; for voice, guitar, drums, synthesizers. 00:04:09. Blue Lizard Records, © 2020. Electronic/​dark ambient. Streaming. Track: 12. The Angel (William Blake). Note: The track was first released on an EP in 2013. Link: Bandcamp. Cowp — USA From Heal the People, Heal the Land; for guitar, synthesizers. 00:06:01. A Beautiful Idea, © 2020. Electronic/​dark ambient. Streaming. Track: 21. Ah Sun Flower. Note: This is an instrumental setting of Blake’s poem. Link: Bandcamp. Crawl across the Sky — USA From The Void Alone; for voice, guitar, bass, drums. 00:03:33. Independent, © 2020. Black metal. Streaming. Track: 22. Telos II: The Human Abstract. Links: Amazon, Spotify. Darshan Ambient — USA From A Day like Any Other ; for guitar, synthesizers. 00:06:57. Brain Laughter, © 2020. New age. Streaming. Tracks: 2. Ah! Sunflower; 3. The Echoing Green. Note: These are instrumental settings of Blake’s poems. Links: Bandcamp, Spotify. De Vico, Remo — Italy Garden of Love; for voice, drums, synthesizers. 00:03:01. Independent, © 2021. Experimental/​electronic. Streaming. Track: 1. Garden of Love. Link: Bandcamp. Dog Age — Norway From Like Some Bacon in the Night; for voice, guitar, bass, drums. 00:03:24. Voices of Wonder Records, © 2021. Rock. Streaming. Track: 5. A Poison Tree. Links: Amazon, Apple, Spotify. Dreams of December — Brazil From Ashes of a Decadent Life; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:04:28. Independent, © 2021. Post black metal. Streaming. Track: 3. The Human Abstract (William Blake, 1794). Link: Spotify. Fontana Re:Mix — Sweden From Traces of Time; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:03:09. Bauta Records, © 2021. Progressive rock/​free jazz. CD/​streaming. Track: 3. French Revolution. Link: Bandcamp. Golem Mecanique — France Oracle; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:23:00. Independent, © 2021. Dark ambient. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Daughters of Albion; 2. Urizen. Notes: The songs are inspired by Blake’s prophetic books. They are instrumental tracks with vocalization. Link: Bandcamp. G.rag — Germany From No Poetry; for voice, guitar, bass. 00:03:44. Independent, © 2020. Alternative punk/​alternative. Streaming. Track: 27. William Blake. Note: Inspired by Blake’s poetry. Link: Bandcamp. Greenhill, Mitch — USA Blues of an Ancient Bard; for voice, guitars, flutes. 00:41:33. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Youth of Delight Come Hither; 2. The Nurse’s Song; 3. Mary Part 1; 4. The Tyger; 5. Mary Part 2; 6. Cradle Song; 7. Albion Turned Away; 8. The Garden of Love; 9. Mary Part 3; 10. Hear the Voice of the Bard/​Earth’s Answer; 11. JArusalem; 12. JerusalAnthem. Link: Bandcamp. Hagenberg, Elaine — USA Tyger ; for voice (SATB), piano. 00:01:58. Independent, © 2021. Classical. Streaming. Track: 1. Tyger. Links: Elaine Hagenberg Music, SoundCloud. Hemmelig — Finland From First to Fall; for electronics. 00:03:42. Independent, © 2021. Electronic/​dark ambient. Streaming. Track: 2. The Human Abstract. Note: This is an instrumental setting of Blake’s poem. Link: Bandcamp. Higgins, Michael — UK The Garden of Love; for piano, organ. 00:01:42. Independent, © 2021. World music. Streaming. Track: 1. The Garden of Love. Note: This is an instrumental setting of Blake’s poem. Link: SoundCloud. Howard, Paul — UK From Spirit Songs: The Best of Paul Howard, Vol. 1; for voice, guitar. 00:06:17. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming. Tracks: 5. London; 9. The Echoing Green. Link: Bandcamp. Jacquot, Nicolas — France From Ordered Ordinaries; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers. 00:08:34. Independent, © 2020. Electronic/​experimental. Streaming. Track: 1. Antimanifesto [excerpts from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell in French]. Link: Bandcamp. Köster, Frederik, and Die Verwandlung — Germany From Golden Age; for voice, piano, drums, bass, saxophone. 00:07:31. Traumton Records, © 2020. Jazz. CD/​streaming. Track: 9. (To the) Evening Star. Link: Spotify. Lahr, Barbara — Germany From Kintsugi; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, brass. 00:05:25. Phazz-a-delic, © 2021. Jazz/​pop. CD/​streaming. Track: 5. The Tyger. Link: Bandcamp. Lecollaire, Yann — France The States of the Human Soul; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:37:33. Thödol Records, © 2020. Pop/​experimental. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Memory Song [“Memory, hither come”]; 2. To Autumn; 3. The Sick Rose; 4. Love Song [“Love and harmony combine”]; 5. London; 6. Introduction [Innocence]; 7. The Fly; 8. Mad Song; 9. Vale Song [“When early morn walks forth in sober grey”]. Link: Bandcamp. Lieutenant Caramel — France The Marriage of Heaven and Hell; for voice, guitar, bass, synthesizers. 00:54:58. Independent, © 2020. Electronic. Streaming. Tracks: 1. The Burdened Air; 2. Evil Is Hell; 3. Des Anges à ma fenêtre; 4. L’homme-Dragon; 5. Les géants dévoreurs. Note: Inspired by the “Proverbs of Hell” and “A Memorable Fancy” from Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Link: Bandcamp. Mahalia — Italy From Nomade 1992–​2020; for voice, accordion, strings. 00:07:11. Dar Soltane, © 2021. Pop/​world music. Streaming. Tracks: 7. The Little Boy Found; 13. The Garden of Love. Links: Amazon, Apple, Spotify. Makabe, Emi — Japan/​USA From Anniversary; for voice, guitar, bass, drums. 00:05:40. Greenleaf Music, © 2020. Jazz. CD/​streaming. Track: 3. Chimney Sweeper. Link: Bandcamp. Martin X — Russia From Crapulous Classics; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers. 00:05:02. Independent, © 2020. Alternative rock/​electronic. Streaming. Track: 9. Piping down the Valleys Wild. Link: Bandcamp. Mel from Melbourne — Australia William Blake Remixed; for voice, guitars, synthesizers. 00:01:53. Independent, © 2020. Folk/​electronic. Streaming. Track: 1. William Blake Remixed. Link: Bandcamp. Mighty Gravillons — Switzerland From Some Are Born; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:05:04. Independent, © 2021. Reggae. Streaming. Track: 1. Some Are Born [excerpts from “Auguries of Innocence”]. Link: Bandcamp. Park, Owain, and the Epiphoni Consort — UK From When Love Speaks: Choral Music by Owain Park; for voice, piano. 00:04:18. Delphian, © 2020. Classical. Streaming. Track: 11. The Tyger. Link: SoundCloud. Paterakis, Giorgos/​String Theory — Greece From Gallery Dramaton; for voice, piano. 00:07:21. Independent, © 2020. Experimental. Streaming. Tracks: 5. The Frozen Marriage Bed [setting of Visions of the Daughters of Albion]; 9. The Chimney Sweeper. Link: Bandcamp. Paterikon — USA William Blake Is Doomed; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:18:15. Independent, © 2021. Doom metal. Streaming. Tracks: 1. To Tirzah; 2. London; 3. The Tyger; 4. The Clod and the Pebble; 5. The Voice of the Ancient Bard. Link: Bandcamp. Perfect Blue — USA From Respect Existence or Expect Resistance; for guitar, synthesizers. 00:03:07. Independent, © 2020. Electronic/​dark ambient. Streaming. Track: 12. Song of Urizen. Note: Instrumental. Link: Bandcamp. Pope, John, and John Garner — UK Judas; for keyboards, strings, electronics. 00:49:20. Independent, © 2022. Avant-garde. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Can I see anothers woe; 2. And not be in sorrow too; 3. Can I see anothers grief; 4. And not seek for kind relief; 5. Can a mother sit and hear; 6. An infant groan an infant fear—; 7. No no never can it be; 8. Never never can it be. Note: This is a highly experimental instrumental response to “On Anothers Sorrow.” Link: Bandcamp. Pyrroline — Germany From Struggling; for voice, drums, synthesizers. 00:05:51. Electro Aggression Records, © 2021. EBM/​industrial. CD/​streaming. Track: 12. The Divine Image. Link: Spotify. Rabe, Nils David — USA Nils David Sings and Plays “The Wild Flowers Song”; for voice, guitar, flute, percussion. 00:00:51. Brownie Records, © 2021. Folk. Streaming. Track: 1. The Wild Flowers Song. Link: SoundCloud. Rahel Acoustic Breezes — USA/​Israel/​South Korea From Alice, Where Are You Going? ; for voice, synthesizers. 00:00:55. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming. Track: 7. Infant Joy. Link: Bandcamp. The Secret Experiment — UK From V. II; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. 00:04:57. Independent, © 2021. Post-punk/​darkwave. Streaming. Track: 2. A Poison Tree. Note: The words are from “Auguries of Innocence.” Link: Bandcamp. Shydays — USA William Blake Words; for voice, synthesizers. 00:02:03. Independent, © 2020. Experimental/​ambient. Streaming. Track: 1. William Blake Words. Notes: Inspired by Blake. Link: Bandcamp. Siamois Synthesis — Canada From Feu aimant; for guitar, drums, synthesizers. 00:10:23. Independent, © 2020. Electronic/​dark ambient. Streaming. Track: 6. Urizen. Note: This is an instrumental setting inspired by Blake’s poetry. Links: Bandcamp, Spotify. Sideshow Tom — Syria From A Manic Tape from a Basement; for voice, guitar. 00:04:30. Independent, © 2020. Folk/​indie. Streaming. Track: 6. To William Blake. Note: Inspired by Blake’s poetry. Link: Bandcamp. Singapore Police Background — UK From Singapore Police Background; for synthesizers. 00:05:33. Steep Gloss, © 2021. Industrial/​experimental. Streaming. Track: 2. Urizen. Note: Instrumental. Link: Bandcamp. Tarbox, Michael — USA From Paler Suns; for voice, guitar. 00:01:18. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming. Track: 1. Ah! Sunflower. Link: Bandcamp. Taylor, Terry Scott — USA From Bedroom Demos, Vol. 35; for voice, guitars. 00:04:45. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming. Track: 4. William Blake. Note: Words adapted from “The Tyger” and other poems. Link: Bandcamp. Techno Thriller — Belgium From Decameron; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers. 00:03:01. Teenage Menopause Records, © 2020. Alternative/​metal. CD/​streaming. Track: 3. Jeudi Saint [“Holy Thursday,” Experience]. Link: Spotify. This Is the Bridge — UK From Songs from a Dead England; for voice, guitar, bass, percussion. 00:04:53. Independent, © 2020. Post-punk. CD/​streaming. Track: 3. Dead England. Note: Lyrics adapted from “Auguries of Innocence.” Link: Bandcamp. Trans-Neptunian Colonists — USA From Albion; for synthesizers. 01:00:16. Independent, © 2021. Dark ambient. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Urizen; 2. Tharmas; 3. Luvah/​Orc; 4. Urthona/​Los; 6. Emanations; 7. Vala; 8. Dirge of Eno; 9. Then Fell the Fires of Eternity; 10. The Departure of Dark Religion; 11. Enion; 12. Enitharmon; 13. Ahania; 14. Albion City. Note: All tracks are instrumental. Link: Bandcamp. Tsantsa — Sweden Love’s Secret; for synthesizers. 00:28:51. Independent, © 2020. Industrial/​dark ambient. Streaming. Track: 1. Love’s Secret. Link: Bandcamp. Vaca Sagrada — USA From One Eye Is the Sun, One Eye Is the Moon; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, brass. 00:05:01. Independent, © 2021. Rock/​blues. Streaming. Track: 6. The Glad Day. Note: The track is inspired by the illustration “Glad Day.” Link: Bandcamp. Van Vasey, Mark — UK The Caterpillar and the Fly; for guitar, bass, celesta, cellos, voice. 00:20:08. Independent, © 2021. Avant-folk. Streaming. Tracks: 1. The Garden of Love; 2. The Fly; 3. The Human Abstract; 4. The Blossom; 5. The Clod and the Pebble; 6. The Smile. Link: Bandcamp. V.O.E.R. — Sweden From Subconscious Error ; for voice, electronics, synthesizers. 00:17:09. 4iB Records, © 2020. Industrial/​experimental. Streaming. Tracks: 5. The Garden of Eden; 6. A Garden of Flesh. Note: Inspired by Blake’s prophetic books. Link: Bandcamp. Wereju — Ireland The Tree of Life and Death (Part One); for voice, guitar, bass, synthesizers. 00:30:23. Independent, © 2020. Dark ambient. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Vegetative Eye (Part One); 2. Art Is the Tree of Life … Science Is the Tree of Death (Part One); 3. Vegetative Eye (Part Two). Notes: Based on Blake’s prophetic books. All tracks are instrumental. Link: Discogs. Wereju — Ireland The Tree of Life and Death (Part Two); for voice, guitar, bass, synthesizers. 00:27:27. Independent, © 2020. Dark ambient. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Vegetative Eye (Part Three); 2. Art Is the Tree of Life … Science Is the Tree of Death (Part Two); 3. Vegetative Eye (Part Four). Notes: Based on Blake’s prophetic books. All tracks are instrumental. Link: Discogs. Wereju — Ireland The Tree of Life and Death (Part Three); for voice, guitar, bass, synthesizers. 00:27:45. Independent, © 2020. Dark ambient. Streaming. Tracks: 1. Vegetative Eye (Part Five); 2. Art Is the Tree of Life … Science Is the Tree of Death (Part Three); 3. Vegetative Eye (Part Six). Notes: Based on Blake’s prophetic books. All tracks are instrumental. Link: Discogs. Wilson, Kenny — UK Auguries of Innocence (William Blake); for voice, guitar, bass, keyboards. 00:13:21. Independent, © 2021. Alternative rock. Streaming. Track: 1. Auguries of Innocence (William Blake). Link: SoundCloud. Wisborg — Germany From The Tragedy of Seconds Gone; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers. 00:05:29. Danse Macabre, © 2018. Alternative rock/​electronic. CD/​streaming. Track: 4. The Sick Rose. Link: Spotify. Wyrm — USA From Wolfish Outlaws and Other Heathens; for voice, electronics. 00:05:04. 4iB Records, © 2021. Dark ambient. CD/​streaming. Track: 7. Voice of the Ancient Bard. Link: Bandcamp.