{"title":"Mara Simpson","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMara Simpson is a singer and composer based in Stroud, UK. With her unique blend of folk and indie-pop, Mara's music captivates audiences with its heartfelt lyrics and soulful melodies. Drawing inspiration from artists such as *Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres* and *Poppy Ackroyd*, Mara creates music that is both introspective and relatable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer compositions are characterized by lush arrangements and intricate instrumentation, showcasing her exceptional talent as a songwriter. Collaborating with talented musicians like *Cedric Vermue* and *Vetle Nærø*, Mara's performances are captivating and emotionally charged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith a growing fan base, Mara has gained recognition for her powerful live shows, which have taken her to venues across the UK. Her latest album has received critical acclaim, earning praise from industry insiders like *Anna Yarbrough* and *David Cordero*. As she continues to evolve as an artist, Mara's music promises to leave a lasting impression on listeners around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"our-good-sides","title":"Our Good Sides","description":"\u003cp\u003eBritish songwriter and independent artist Mara Simpson has captivated audiences around the world with her soulful melodies, rich lyricism, unassuming charm and wicked laugh. Recently quoted by New Zealand Musician Magazine as 'Soulful, sincere, warm, rich and intimate. The songwriting is stunning.' Mara now releases her debut album, 'Our Good Sides', on home shores. London born to a Kenyan family, Mara has spent periods of time in Wellington (New Zealand) and Berlin. Her songs reflect her eclectic background and draw the listener close into these worlds. 'Our Good Sides' was recorded and produced by Tim Bidwell (producer of Kate Walsh and Fink) and features guest vocals from Olly Knights of Turin Brakes, Ben Ottewell of Gomez, and cousin, Courtney Simpson. Created in Clockwork Owl Studios - also Tim's living room - the album was woven into being with old compressors, vintage microphones, and many cups of Yorkshire tea. Every song is real, warm, and sung from the heart.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"No Label","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50465815036235,"sku":"404071","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/248dd800-ef2f-4766-93ab-e3e1b48d691b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727296964"},{"product_id":"live-at-the-rose-hill","title":"Live at the Rose Hill","description":"\u003cp\u003eMara Simpson, Jools Owen (Bear’s Den) and James Smith (Anais Mitchel) perform a live session at Brighton’s famous Rose Hill. True to Mara’s story-telling style of song-writing, the Rose Hill also has it’s very own story.... The Rose Hill Tavern first became a pub in 1870 however in 2014, when it finally shut its doors, the building was snapped up by developers planning to turn it into 'Luxury Flats'. The local community, in true Brighton style, kicked up enough of a fuss that they managed to get an Asset of Community Value tag placed on the building. Over the course of two years the community eventually blocked the planning application and the frustrated developers put it back up for sale. And the rest is (very recent) history....\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mara Simpson","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50506978394443,"sku":"1077526","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/a072dad4-494e-48df-a585-d498efe347db_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727835255"},{"product_id":"285-days-retold","title":"285 Days Retold","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe most important thing when I’m creating and performing is connection,” says the musician Mara Simpson. In her new EP, \u003ci\u003e285 Days Retold\u003c\/i\u003e, Simpson takes this concept to new heights by inviting four friends and fellow musicians to work with her in reinterpreting songs from her recently released album,\u003ci\u003e 285 Days\u003c\/i\u003e. The resulting 5 tracks encapsulate the true spirit of collaboration, and mark a new direction for the British singer, “It’s a shift for me as a solo singer-songwriter. I’m now opening up what I do by exploring different collaborations, and using the stories behind the songs to connect with people.” It features Ellie Mason (Wovoka Gentle), Poppy Ackroyd, AVA and ALexandra Hamilton -Ayres.\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mara Simpson","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50507020632395,"sku":"1076251","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/a27dccab-3de2-4fb1-a938-5a0418135123_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727836931"},{"product_id":"in-this-place","title":"In This Place","description":"\u003cp\u003eA heady blend of alt-folk, analogue synth and classical composition, \u003ci\u003eIn This Place\u003c\/i\u003e is a tale of quiet rebellion, and taking back control. Fittingly, the new album marks the start of another new journey for Mara. \u003ci\u003eIn This Place\u003c\/i\u003e is the first record to be released on Downfield Records, a non-profit imprint set up by Simpson, placing artists at it’s centre.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBacked by a band of accomplished musicians (Jools Owen (Bears Den) on drums, James Smith (Anaïs Mitchell) on banjo, Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres on clarinet and strings by Poppy Ackroyd) on \u003ci\u003eIn This Place\u003c\/i\u003e, Mara sounds the most confident she’s ever sounded. With her new material, Mara Simpson hopes to promote a gentle, yet radical shift toward kindness and it’s this warmth that can be both heard and felt across her new record.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Downfield Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50512864379211,"sku":"1127298","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/c85212ef-ea40-4206-8693-12cf0f64260c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727908672"},{"product_id":"living-matter","title":"Living Matter","description":"\u003cp\u003eMara Simpson is a multi-instrumentalist, performing artist, songwriter, producer and composer. Her work seamlessly blends electronic, acoustic and orchestral instruments, exploring her love for tape delays, analogue synths and field recordings. Her fourth studio album \u003cem\u003eLiving Matter\u003c\/em\u003e, written and engineered in the Stroud, Gloucestershire recording studio she handwrought, will be released via Republic of Music with the vinyl featuring liner notes by DJ, presenter and podcaster Edith Bowman.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLiving Matter\u003c\/em\u003e is a unique album written in response to a set of poems by celebrated poet and fellow Stroud dweller JLM Morton published in her book Red Handed. Born out of a mutual admiration of one another's work, and a friendship fostered in wild swimming, Morton asked Simpson to come up with a live score for the performance of her and writer Emma Kernahan’s book, Glos Mythos. This collaboration planted the seeds for what would blossom into a full-length album, atop plans for Glos Mythos to tour nationally this year  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePredominantly instrumental, with passages of field recording segways and explorative sound design each of the ten tracks featured on the album is a response to a different poem in the collection. Inspired by the landscape of Mara’s Stroud home (also the birthplace of Extinction Rebellion and poet, novelist and screenwriter Laurie Lee) and its mystical history (from the area’s pre-Roman Dobunni tribe to the spirits Genii Cucullati) and water goddesses (Cuda and Sulis Minerva whom they worshipped), it explores themes of identity and artefact, memory and belonging, but most of all the brief and fleeting nature of both human and non-human existences and the futility of perceived otherness between all of us \u003cem\u003eLiving Matter\u003c\/em\u003e. With a setup consisting of tape machines, analogue synths, drums, piano and strings, \u003cem\u003eLiving Matter\u003c\/em\u003e draws together the signature electronic and acoustic worlds Simpson has become known for in her cross-arts compositions. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Downfield Records","offers":[{"title":"LP - Brown","offer_id":51432001208651,"sku":"R0142-5731","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/unnamed-2025-03-12T141435.413.jpg?v=1741788883"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_da6bf27b_thumbnail_4096_926bfb78-1142-4748-a4ea-31dbb27a220a.jpg?v=1727296944","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/mara-simpson.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}