SAND, SILT, FLINT / Fiona Soe Paing

Sand, Silt, Flint brings to life the acclaimed album from Aberdeenshire-based singer-producer Fiona Soe Paing, described by Iggy Pop on BBC 6 Music as “advanced and beautiful…” and by Songlines as “a sublimely powerful and lingering experience.” Contemporary re-workings of Northeast Scottish ballads sit alongside innovative compositions inspired by folklore and landscape, drawing audiences into the places and stories behind each song.

With striking visuals by artist Isla Goldie, the show charts a dreamlike journey through time and place, layering archive maps, location footage and Fiona’s otherworldly live vocals. The recorded score,  enriched with archival fragments from the School of Scottish Studies, field recordings, and contributions from leading Scottish instrumentalists including Paul Anderson and Alice Allen,  forms a deeply textured sonic landscape beneath the live performance.

Sparked by Fiona’s discovery of a family connection to renowned ballad singer John Strachan, and drawing on material from the James Madison Carpenter and Greig-Duncan Collections, the work weaves experimental electronica, folklore and memory into an inventive twist on Scottish folk tradition.

Described by The Guardian as “startling Scottish balladry with a global scope,” Sand, Silt, Flint envelops audiences in a hypnotic fusion of music, myth and moving image.