Agent Starling – European Howl (DHM, 2021)
Agent Starling’s debut album, European Howl, was released on May 4th, 2021. The ten-track album features an array of engaging hurdy-gurdy tunes, new compositions, transfixing drones, live bass grooves, and strings, all with an experimental twist.
The band features Quentin Budworth on hurdy-gurdy and Lou Loudhailer on vocals and various instruments. European Howl was recorded in the first quarter of 2021 in Yorkshire, UK, and includes contributions by Dexter Duffy-Howard on violin and cello.
Grounded in diverse European musical traditions, the album includes instrumental pieces, spoken word segments, and songs. Notable tracks include “Wine Dark Sea,” inspired by Greek tales; “Requiem,” an elegy by a dying lover; and “Helicopter Arms,” centered around a vibrant hurdy-gurdy melody. “Delores County Ride” pays tribute to the women who hop trains in Arno Bitschy’s film This Train I Ride, while the title track “European Howl” is a call for unity in today’s isolationist climate.
Both Quentin and Lou have extensive musical backgrounds. Lou was a member of the influential UK indie band Red Guitars and now leads the psychedelic rock band Loudhailer Electric Company. Meanwhile, Quentin, formerly with Suns of Arqa, is the driving force behind the world fusion medieval rave band Celtarabia, which also includes Lou on bass.
Before the lockdown, Quentin toured Europe, engaging with top hurdy-gurdy players to exchange tunes and techniques. Typically performing at alternative festivals, Lou and Quentin formed Agent Starling during the lockdown and recorded European Howl.
Buy European Howl.