The music of Los Angeles, USA-based artist Carey Clayton has been appearing on our pages since 2021, first catching our attention through his emotional indie folk album, Gradually, Suddenly.

By Graeme Smith

We’ve had the pleasure of sharing three more releases from him including 2022’s Zen Garden, team up with Little Kruta, Foreign Tongues, and 2024’s spiritual album, Headless. Now, make that four courtesy of his latest full-length, Idyll.

A tribute to respite, Idyll hopes to transport the listener away from their life stresses to somewhere more serene through a mix of folktronica, lo-fi, and chamber music. It starts in gentle, acoustic style with album opener New Growth. Calming guitar sets the scene before playful electronica comes in. Pleasingly, it expands before contracting, providing plenty of twists, turns and textures.

The opener very much typifies the album which paints a landscape with each new track. Fields and Mirror Meadows take us exploring through some lively string plucking. Moonstone Beach washes over us with some dynamic lo-fi. Cold Light canters along with a Wes Anderson-esque sense of whimsy. Automata is perhaps the album’s moodiest moment. Jacaranda brings a sense of the exotic. Ribbon Cutting rouses with overlapping layers. Escapement is beautifully playful. Two Harbors slows things down for a meditative moment before Midday closes the album in reflective style.

Carey Clayton’s new album is the soothing balm we need for our troubled world. Idyll is out now and you can give it a listen below.