Kim Edgar – HELD

HELD was recorded at Castlesound Studios (Scotland) and remotely, produced by Mattie Foulds and mastered by Stuart Hamilton.

The album features Kim Edgar – vocals, piano, synths, acoustic & electric guitar, Kevin McGuire – acoustic & electric bass, Mattie Foulds – drums, Mikey Owers – brass, backing vocals, synths, guitars, Su-a Lee – cello, Fergus Kerr – French horn, Karine Polwart – vocals, Rachel Sermanni – vocals, Ava Edgar, Joe McIntyre & Orla Edgar – backing vocals.

This very gifted artist not only performers as a solo artist, Kim performes with the highly recommended Cara  as well as directing and singing with The Big Project choir.

Edinburgh based folk-pop singer songwriter, Kim Edgar, launches her fourth solo album HELD, online, on Friday 4th December 2020.

Album Launch Celebrations: online, 7.30 pm GMT, Friday 4th December 2020 Release Date: Friday 11th December 2020

Who isn’t craving cuddles right now? Kim Edgar’s fifth studio album, HELD, promises to help in this regard:

“It’s hard not to be able to touch people we care about; it’s often how we embody love, compassion and friendship. We currently demonstrate care for others by keeping our distance, despite the fact that now, more than ever, people may need, or want, to be held. So with this album, I have tried to create a musical hug. In the scheme of things, it’s a very small offering, but I’m grateful that music can still give us a sense of connection – and it’s what I have to give!”

The unexpected hiatus in a usually very busy touring schedule as a member of the folk band, CARA (www.cara-music.com) has given Kim time to reflect with clarity on why she has carved a career for herself writing songs, which have been described as “heart stopping” (Sunday Herald), and “a comfort blanket for the disillusioned soul” (The Big Issue):

“I remember, vividly, the powerful sense of relief and support that I felt as an excruciatingly shy teenager when I first discovered Tori Amos, whose songs spoke directly to me. That’s why I write songs – I hope to console and uplift others in the same way.

Many of the new songs are hugs I wrote for myself, after my dad’s death, which I realised could reach out with open arms to other people, too. Things are really tough at the moment, and for many people, they were already tough before the pandemic. I hope this album will help people who are struggling just now, for whatever reason, to feel acknowledged and supported.”

Recording the album with producer Mattie Foulds was also a heartening process for Kim, despite the circumstances, with remote vocal recordings from Karine Polwart and Rachel Sermanni helping to create a sense of togetherness on several songs (including Kim’s songwriting collaboration with Karine, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5”) and a combination of socially distanced and remote recordings from some of her very favourite musicians.
Launch celebrations (which should have taken place in Edinburgh’s Queens Hall on 4th September), will, by necessity, happen online. To make this as accessible as possible, 100 free tickets will be available from

Tracks from Held
Lower

Witness

Powerless

Waiting For A Sign

Give Time

Shelf

1,2,3,4,5

Absent Father

Some Things Happen

Baby Steps

Perpetual Light

Held