Brooklyn based folk quintet Whale Belly will release their second album I Was Once A Bird this autumn.

The first focus track Bubbles In My Blood proudly bears the imprint of traditional folk music but steadfastly refuses to conform to expectations – the song boasts a big band sound, but it’s soft and gentle, and the violin adds a classical element that contrasts sweetly with the naggingly insistent high-pitched guitar riffs. The result is something with time-honoured undertones, but also with an original and imaginative contemporary feel.

Recommended. Download it here.