Folk Bands and Artists
Hope In High Water
Milton Keynes
Hope In High Water are a duo from Milton Keynes, UK whose distinctly British take on acoustic Americana has captivated audiences across the UK since early 2014. The pair incorporate folk, blues and country into their compositions, delivering what Rock’n’Reel Magazine describe as ´exuberant songs performed with passion and intensity´. Inspired by the LPs of Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt and Howlin´ Wolf - Josh and Carly seek to reinterpret American sounds of the 20th century for 21st century Britain.
Both drawing their roots from the punk scene, Hope In High Water are an unlikely pair to be pushing the frontiers of the UK Americana/folk scene. Yet both have felt the pull of the travelling lifestyle to which they were exposed at an early age, Josh with his blues musician parents and Carly with a father whose work pulled the family from place to place. This inspired a wanderlust in the pair that would open their minds to the sounds of far off cultures and ultimately draw them together.
Having both toured independently through their early twenties, the two were to meet in a London bar back in 2010, where Carly was barmaid and Josh was playing. Crossing paths again several years later, the two quickly became intertwined and with the demise of their bands and a new musical project envisioned, the obvious choice was to take the dark, roots inspired brand of folk they had been honing at home out into the world.
Inspired by the dark modal sounds of American traditional music, the pair create something steeped in tradition, whilst also retaining a relevance to their urban surroundings. Drawing on experiences older than their years, the two deal with the pertinent subject matter of addiction, ending of relationships and the death of friends, following the loss of Josh’s best friend to cancer. In this way Hope In High Water present something reminiscent of the troubadours of old, not influenced by trends but focused on creating honest and heartfelt expression.
