These days folk just seems synonymous with “acoustic”. Often all that links various folk acts is the use of a simplified, stripped-back arrangement. Not to say that’s a bad thing, we love modern folk, but at the same time it could be so much more. It could connect with its roots, in tales and tunes passed down through generations, or it could look forward and push the genre into more exploratory forms. Barcelona born singer-songwriter Jane Silver manages to do a bit of both on her debut EP Wooden Fortress.

The aptly titled ‘Medieval Song’ draws from deep-rooted English folk traditions and feels like an age-old song given new life. Meanwhile, ‘The More You Say It The Less I Believe It’ feels like a vision of folk from the future. Reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s third record, it takes a more progressive turn with its faint Eastern vibes and off kilter rhythms, but still manages to draw you in with some ethereal vocals and bright mandolin. ‘The Woman With Flowers’ and ‘Invisible Spiders’ (the latter being literally my worst nightmare) carry a mystical feel as though they’re long forgotten Grimm’s fairy tales put to song. The EP’s title track is the most upbeat and conventional track found here, which just makes it stand out and let its beauty radiate all the more. Aglow with childlike innocence and nostalgia, the imaginative lyricism is this release’s crowning glory.

Fans of Joni Mitchell, and the folky side of Led Zeppelin and Hozier, should check out Jane Silver’s new EP Wooden Fortress.