Saskatoon-born, Vancouver-based indie folk purveyor Joshua Hyslop has travelled long and far in at least one direction to make his way back to us with a new, passport-stamped album.
Westward arrives today via Nettwerk. The singer-songwriter's fifth full-length offering follows 2020's Ash & Stone and compiles the tracks from this year's Cedar EP with a slew of brand new cuts, led by recent single "More Than This."
For Hyslop, writing the album served as a form of release from the turbulence in his life: grieving the deaths of two friends, navigating first-time parenthood and the ongoing pandemic.
When sporadic opportunities to get together with longtime producer John Raham presented themselves, the artist showed up differently each time, exploring new sounds as a way of coping with new circumstances — making an intrepid endeavour into soundscapes recalling influences as wide-ranging as Appalachian folk, Irish dirges and American gospel.
"This collection of songs was a stretch for me," Hyslop explained in a release. "I wanted to try my hand at some different styles while still staying true to my voice. Getting to work with John again was a pleasure and was definitely a part of what helped me achieve that goal."
Set your compass accordingly and stream Westward below.
Westward arrives today via Nettwerk. The singer-songwriter's fifth full-length offering follows 2020's Ash & Stone and compiles the tracks from this year's Cedar EP with a slew of brand new cuts, led by recent single "More Than This."
For Hyslop, writing the album served as a form of release from the turbulence in his life: grieving the deaths of two friends, navigating first-time parenthood and the ongoing pandemic.
When sporadic opportunities to get together with longtime producer John Raham presented themselves, the artist showed up differently each time, exploring new sounds as a way of coping with new circumstances — making an intrepid endeavour into soundscapes recalling influences as wide-ranging as Appalachian folk, Irish dirges and American gospel.
"This collection of songs was a stretch for me," Hyslop explained in a release. "I wanted to try my hand at some different styles while still staying true to my voice. Getting to work with John again was a pleasure and was definitely a part of what helped me achieve that goal."
Set your compass accordingly and stream Westward below.