We bring our dark folk series full circle on Lammas (1st August), 13 years after the release of 'John Barleycorn Reborn: Dark Britannica'. A constant theme throughout these releases has been the cyclical nature of time and the seasons, and the relationship of mankind to the natural environment, with recurrent references to John Barleycorn, personification of the harvest.

"In my beginning is my end…

Old fires to ashes, and ashes to the earth
Which is already flesh, fur and faeces,
Bone of man and beast, cornstalk and leaf…

In my end is my beginning" (TS Eliot, East Coker)

32 tracks from the cream of current dark British Folk music. Of special note, PETER ULRICH (DEAD CAN DANCE) created an exclusive track especially for this collection: 'Lammas Dance'.

Digital release: 1st August
2CD release: Friday 11th September
credits
released September 11, 2020

Compiled By – Justin Mitchell & Jo Mitchell
Mastered By – Martin Bowes
Artwork – Abby Helasdottir
"The Endless Knot" essay by: Simon Collins

Reviews:

"...an accomplished project with much to recommend it...a rich array of interpretations of dark folk... a strong line-up of tracks, balancing reverence for old forms and styles against a modern interest in musicianship and storytelling. It’s a worthwhile release with which to round off the Dark Britannica project, and as such it’s well worth the wait" (Trebuchet Magazine)

"A Dark-Folk format mixed and alternated with other influences such as Ethereal (beautiful voices), Medieval spheres reminding music of troubadours and simply Ballads.... The Folk style is created by the magic of acoustic guitar, accordion, flutes and other acoustic instruments. The vocals are mostly little stories diving the listener into a world of magic... Most of the artists are simply devoted to this music style, which in a way belongs to the British culture; it’s an ode to the history of this great country, several songs have been inspired by old poems and old songs. It also is an opportunity to discover an impressive number of less familiar - and totally unknown artists dealing with the same love for this kind of music... a sonic voyage visiting less familiar music horizons." (Side-Line)

"Turns and completion of cycles seem fitting in this finale started 13 years ago with John Barleycorn Reborn, celebrations in song of seasons, nature and life through humanity’s relationship to the natural world from an eclectic label... No two tracks sound alike, which says much for the ranging talent and spectrum. In the pioneering ‘60s, the compiled were signed to a label dedicated to their roster and more widely to something of a scene. In these more independent times, some of the acts here aren’t signed to a label at all, however, but linked by a musical style. This rich tapestry interweaving backgrounds and approaches is available with booklet, imitating ancient paper nicely.. A crafted artefact in keeping with its almost pre-industrial contents (at least in atmosphere), as if we are among ancestors." (Folk Radio)

"Auf zwei CDs kommen 32 Werke von Künstlern mit unterschiedlichen musikalischen Hintergrund genauso stimmungsvoll zusammen wie das Alte und Neue. Ob der Düsternis und Schwere verschrieben, oder mit anmutigem Lichtschimmer... "The Forme To The Fynisment Foldes Ful Selden" beschert dem Hörer eine reiche Ernte un einen üppig gedeckten Tisch, der einlädt, sich an dem Dargebotenen zu ergötzen. Ob man schon jahrelange Vertrautheit genießt mit dem, was auf einer solchen Tafel alles aufgetragen werden kann, oder dies erst neu entdeckt, die Compilation zeigt eine eindrucksvolle Bandbreite mit all jenen Facetten, die Dark Folk zu einem so einnehmenden Genre machen" (Orkus)

"Panoramiche ampie e gratificanti di un'ideale, vasta, scena di ispirazione folk delle isole britanniche, molto soffermandosi, acutamente, su formazioni o solisti di scarsa notorietà. Il tema della natura e del rapporto del comunità con essa e del tempo dettato dalle stagioni e dai suoi obblighi e rituali, non può che essere ricorrente anche nella selezione dei brani compresi in "The Forme T The Fynisment Foldes Ful Selden: Dark Britannica IV", con contributi che pienamente rispondono a canoni di genere consolidati,... ed una magnifica Lammas Dance di Peter Ulrich che naturalmente evoca, con splendida enfasi, la festa del promo agosto per la raccolta del grano" (7/8, Blow-Up)

"Volume final d’une série promettant de connaître estime, tant par son florilège, éclairé, que par la conséquence desdites collections... ce Dark Britannica IV explore une nouvelle fois l’héritage dark folk britannique tout en se maintenant dans une certaine actualité : un nombre conséquent de prises ici répertoriées date de la dernière décennie et maintient la tradition d’un son empli de brumes, poésie lugubre et noire résonance... Impossible de les citer tous, tant la compilation regorge de belles choses en quasiment cent-soixante minutes... Une somme, en même temps qu’une ode à Dame Nature et autant d’angles ouverts. Angles en forme de questionnements quant à notre rapport à tout ce qui nous entoure" (Obsküre)

"...auténticas evocaciones musicales hacia una de las etapas más trascendentales de la historia de Inglaterra... cargado de refrescantes propuestas centradas en la música tradicional y el paganismo británico... el catálogo de Dark Britannica ha ido dilatándose a lo largo de estos últimos trece años hasta convertirse en una colección conformada por cinco nutridos capítulos rebosantes de excepcionales ejemplos de música tradicional ambientada en las redes históricas del medievo inglés... Una vez más, Cold Spring ha vuelto a contar con un variopinto y nutridísimo elenco de artistas. Varios nombres de esta plétora de músicos ya aparecieron en alguna de las entregas anteriores, otros brillan por sus nuevas y epatantes aportaciones... Dos CDs nutridos de atractivas propuestas que logran sumergirnos en un contexto paralelo al nuestro cuyas puertas son abiertas por medio del recuerdo. (4/5, Nomelody)

"Nueva joya cultural y musical, esta preciosa edición en 2CD del impresionante recopilatorio musical neofolk coincidiendo con la antigua festividad pagana de Lammas (o Lugnasad, directamente relacionado con el dios celta Lug), cuyas raíces agrarias están fundamentadas en la ofrenda a las divinidades en pro de la abundancia en las cosechas y de la fertilidad... El abanico cultural que presenta el grandioso álbum “The Forme To The Fynisment Foldes Ful Selden” ha quedado ampliado con la presencia del ciclo artúrico en las páginas de su lujoso libreto... Excelsa calidad sonora que resulta perfecta para engrandecer aún más este espectacular recopilatorio musical en clave neofolk... el prestigioso sello discográfico británico Cold Spring Records vuelve a engrandecer las raíces culturales de la escena neofolk con la publicación de este recopilatorio musical de culto" (Lux Atenea)

"...il tema ricorrente di queste gustose raccolte ha sempre ruotato attorno alla natura ciclica del tempo e delle stagioni, nonché al rapporto dell'uomo con l'ambiente naturale, con ripetuti riferimenti a quel John Barleycorn che è la personificazione della mietitura... coprendo l'intero spettro delle sonorità folkloriche d'Albione, dalle interpretazioni più tradizionali a quelle più cantautorali, sino alle derive più oscure e "psych"... Un ciclo di compilation da collezionare - incluso questo capitolo finale, ovviamente - per chiunque si dica amante del suono folk, e soprattutto per coloro i quali desiderano andare alle radici della tradizione musicale folklorica britannica" (Darkroom)

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