iSound

Imagine folk, progressive rock, jazz and electronica rolled into one, then given a distinct Eastern tinge, and you’ll be someway there. Let the imagination run wild - if Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley fronted King Crimson, which for this occasion also featured Joni Mitchell, the Incredible String Band and Ryuichi Sakamoto, you’ll be somewhere closer still… Mandala’s is a sound which is consistently difficult and unjust to pigeonhole, but the tag “Folk-Noir” is the one that people keep on coming back to. A new genre for a new sound. They are already striking a resounding chord at the niche end of the market. Time Out called them “Intimate and enchanting”, The Metro commended their “Atmospheric romanticism”, while The Independent praised their “Knife-edge atmospheres with intricate and delicately poised arrangements”. The line-up is built around the core of Neil Marsh and Francis Booth, who have been the driving force behind Mandala since its formation in 1997. Neil, who luxuriates in...