> Fields: New Folk – feature updates every Wednesday
listen to the article
Mark Cee – How You Left Me Still
Mark Cee Turns Grief Into A Quiet, Luminous Folk Reckoning
Mark Cee’s “How You Left Me Still” lands like a held breath, folding ambient indie folk into something intimate and bruised. Built in his home studio over months of patient takes, the single lets guitar, strings, and a small flute line drift through the frame like memory itself—soft, persistent, impossible to shake. It’s the kind of song that doesn’t perform grief so much as sit inside it, tracing the frozen moment when someone essential is gone before goodbye can arrive.
Born from loss and sharpened by reflection, the track carries the same human-first instinct that runs through Mark Cee’s work: simple rhythms, honest storytelling, no excess. There’s a Bon Iver-adjacent hush to it, but the emotional weight is unmistakably his own. With his father pictured in the artwork and Ghost Talk Show on the horizon, Mark Cee sounds less like he’s chasing polish than trying to tell the truth as clearly as he can.
simon romain jean – Touch the flame
An Ode to Authenticity: “Touch the Flame”
Simon Romain Jean approaches “Touch the Flame” with a clear commitment to authenticity. Recorded at Studio La Fonderie in Fribourg, Switzerland, the song embraces the spontaneity of live performance, favouring emotional immediacy over studio polish. The result is a recording that feels intimate and unguarded, shaped as much by the chemistry between musicians as by the song itself.
Exploring the complexities of love and the emotional turbulence that relationships can bring, “Touch the Flame” pairs thoughtful songwriting with a vocal performance that balances sensitivity and resolve. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Jeff Buckley, Pearl Jam, and Radiohead, Jean crafts a track that invites listeners to confront vulnerability rather than avoid it. It’s a song rooted in feeling, capturing the human imperfections that often make music resonate most deeply.
E.G. Phillips – The Light You Reflect
Exploring the Shadows and Light
E.G. Phillips uses “The Light You Reflect” to explore perception, vulnerability, and the ways people shape one another’s sense of self. Blending chamber folk with minimalist classical influences, the San Francisco songwriter builds a thoughtful, atmospheric piece that feels both intimate and expansive.
Drawing inspiration from mythology, including the story of Artemis and Actaeon, Phillips examines what it means to be truly seen. Cello from Chloe Mendola and piano from Omree Gal-Oz lend the arrangement a graceful sense of movement, while Phillips’ storytelling remains at the centre of the experience. The result is a reflective song that pairs literary curiosity with emotional honesty, inviting listeners to consider the light they cast and the light they receive.
Jeremy Ryan – My Fairytale
**Jeremy Ryan’s Musical Alchemy: “My Fairytale”**
Jeremy Ryan’s “My Fairytale” draws from themes of loss, uncertainty, and personal reflection, turning inward struggles into a song that feels both vulnerable and resilient. Blending soft rock melodies with expressive guitar work, the track balances emotional weight with a sense of forward motion.
Recorded in Cohutta, Georgia, the song pairs classic rock influences with a contemporary edge, highlighted by a distorted guitar tone that adds grit to its reflective core. Ryan approaches the material with a storyteller’s instinct, framing life’s challenges as a journey into the unknown. The result is a thoughtful and emotionally grounded track that embraces both the hardships and possibilities that come with moving forward.
Sam Garrett – Be Free
Sam Garrett Invites Us to “Be Free”
Sam Garrett’s “Be Free” is rooted in gratitude, mindfulness, and the search for connection amid the noise of everyday life. Drawing on folk-inspired melodies and a warm, unhurried delivery, the song encourages listeners to slow down, take stock of the present moment, and reconnect with the world around them.
Garrett has built a reputation for creating music that blends spiritual reflection with accessible songwriting, and “Be Free” continues that approach. Guided by a message of acceptance and belonging, the track offers a gentle reminder to appreciate life’s simple gifts and embrace the freedom that comes from being fully present.
If you would like to submit your music for playlist or feature consideration, please submit here via our partnership with MusoSoup.
