From England, our ears and yours are ready to be graced with this amazing artist, Serious Child. Born in Sussex, Alan Young is making unique indie/ folk music that is sure to turn heads across the globe.
The new song “Brambles” starts off with urban-influenced beats and hums, which make you think you aren’t about to hear an Indie/ Folk tune, and then Alan starts singing. As soon as the vocals come in, you’re met with the Jim Morrison of Folk, if you could imagine that! This is honestly one of the more unique songs written for the genre and breathes fresh air into the traditional sounds of Indie/ Folk. With a lyric such as “in the dark, old shapes have new meanings”, Alan proves that he can get deeper than most and provide a unique experience for all listeners. The song wraps up at 3:34, feeling appropriate and just long enough. After hearing such great tones, you can’t help but want to dive into more of the Serious Child catalog. Their second album, “Time In The Tree’s” will be released on the spring equinox, March 20, 2020, and you should definitely keep your eyes and ears peaked for it!
Listen to "Bumbles" here.
Thanks for talking with us here at Buzz Music! Do you find growing up in Sussex has given you a unique experience to craft your fresh Indie/ Folk Sound?
Hey, thank you, it’s great to talk to you too. Yeah of course where you grow up completely shapes your music. I grew up next to a forest in the South of England and spent a lot of time hanging out amongst the trees. But we were also not so far from London, and the music my friends were listening to was indie. It was only when I came back to live in the forest in Sussex that I started to work with folk music. Mixing the two just seemed natural.
At what age did you start writing music for Serious Child?
I’ve been singing all my life, but I only got the confidence to start writing songs about four years ago. When I wrote my first proper song, I couldn’t believe that I was allowed to do this. Somehow, writing songs was for other people, and it was life-changing when I realized I could do it.
Are there any places you hope your music will bring you in 2020 with the release of your new album, “Time In The Trees”?
Brambles came from a chance conversation with a forensic botanist, Dr. Mark Spencer, who works with police to solve serious crimes. Who knew that was a thing! That grew into a beautiful collaboration, and my music supporting the launch of his book, Murder Most Florid. I’m hoping to do more collaborations and see where that takes us. It could be a dance performance in a forest or writing music for a sculpture park, I just don’t know. And of course, I’ll be taking the album on tour with the band in the UK, and playing a bunch of festivals.
Who would you say have been some of your biggest sonic influences? As well as lyrical?
What a lovely question. It’s a very exciting time in the UK folk scene at the moment. There are lots of people experimenting and using old acoustic instruments that creak and groan. Check out Lau, or This Is The Kit, or indeed my producer, Boo Hewerdine. From the US, I’d have to mention The Decemberists, or The Deep, Dark Woods. And lyrically, there’s only one Nick Cave, and he happens to live here in Sussex too.
Will you be releasing any more singles for your new album?
Absolutely. The next single, The Oak, will come out at the end of February, before the launch of the album on the Spring Equinox in March. We’ll probably put out a couple more singles and videos after that.