Scottish-Portuguese indie dark wave band Forgotten Garden have been featuring on these pages since 2021 and we rarely pass up the chance to share some of their music.

By Graeme Smith

Forgotten Garden are singer and producer Inês Rebelo and multi-instrumentalist Danny Elliot. Together they are influenced by post-punk bands such as The Cure, Joy Division and The Smiths while Inês in particular takes inspiration from singers like Florence Welch and Lana Del Rey. Their music feels like a combination of them all, seen through their own unique lens.

Today marks the release of their EP In Memoriam which features four tracks meditating on the themes of loss and passing. For Inês, the idea started out as a way of sympathising with others who have experienced it, but then sadly became about personal loss for her too.

Previously released single Memoriam gets a fresh mix for the EP and opens things. It’s a track that lays the album’s themes bare right from the start, ruminating on the idea of not being able to comfort a loved one as they pass. Though the emotion is heavy, the instrumental brings with it a lot of energy. The result is a moody, nuanced track where the vocal performance is second to none. It’s the perfect start.

From there we are treated to three different aspects of the Forgotten Garden sound. Road To Silence is punchy and percussive, bringing with it touches of Americana. The Wind That Brings The Snow gives us the unmistakable sound of bagpipes and a slow-burning Celtic rock number. It plays almost like a funeral procession. The EP is closed by Christmas Time. Though it might feel unseasonal to listen to in March, its emotion is universal and it provides the perfect atmospheric conclusion to the EP.

It’s always wonderful to have Forgotten Garden on these pages and In Memoriam might just be their most impactful release to date. You can check it out below.