From Hidden Andalucia to ancient Greece and the Scottish Highlands, Martin Lloyd Howard has taken us around the world with his sublime compositions, so naturally, we couldn’t wait to experience his latest release, Surrey Bells. The opus draws us in with cinematic guitar arpeggios, layered with cosmic high notes.
The intricacy is graceful and delivered with precision as always. We appreciate the detail that is delivered with Martin’s masterful approach to finger picking, and the serene ebbs and flows of the composition. There is something deeply meditative about the way the guitars interact. It creates movement without ever disturbing the tranquility at the heart of the piece.
There is no doubt that Surrey Bells holds a cinematic allure. We could easily imagine it accompanying an expansive landscape sequence in The Crown, particularly during a quiet transition through the English countryside. It could also find a natural home in The Dig, or a film like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
The concept behind the composition is particularly beautiful. Howard envisioned two sets of church bells ringing across a rural Surrey valley on a bright winter morning, almost communicating with one another through call and response. That idea is translated through two guitar parts, with one treated to create a more distant, echoing presence.
We are especially drawn to the warmth of the Tanglewood steel-string guitar and the resonance created through DADGAD tuning. Recorded at home through overdubbed guitar parts, the piece demonstrates how much atmosphere can be created with relatively simple instrumentation.
Howard’s musical identity has been shaped by a fascinating mixture of classical, folk and rock traditions. His influences range from Elizabethan lutenist John Dowland and classical guitarist Julian Bream to folk guitarists Davey Graham and Martin Simpson, alongside the acoustic work of Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore.
As a composer and guitarist from Reigate, Howard continues to create instrumental works designed to conjure landscapes, images and moods. Surrey Bells feels like another beautifully realised chapter in that ongoing project. We have added the composition to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the visionary composer’s wider discography.