In the world of Smote, the act of venturing outward is inseparable from a descent inward, not in a purely abstract sense but as a physical communion with the ground itself—its roots, vibrations, and subterranean histories. This connection runs parallel to the life of Daniel Foggin, who has spent much of his adult years laboring as a landscape gardener, often battling extreme weather and mud-soaked conditions. Yet it is precisely through this elemental work that Foggin’s art has drawn strength, embodying a primal yet meditative quality. His music, as he describes it, carries the same paradox: rough, heavy, and dirty, yet with an underlying comfort that reflects the grounding force of the earth he works so closely with.
With Songs From The Free House, Smote offers their most fully realized vision to date, one that expands the project’s sonic palette while holding true to its elemental roots. Drawing on folk traditions, drone-based intensity, and the crushing weight of electronics, Foggin crafts a soundscape that is at once timeless and deeply personal. From the mythic retelling of “The Linton Wyrm” to the ritualistic structures woven through the album, these compositions serve as portals into landscapes both physical and spiritual. Recorded in a more expansive studio environment while retaining a raw immediacy, the album transcends its own making—emerging as a testament to Smote’s ongoing exploration of heaviness, ritual, and the enduring resonance between human labor, mythology, and sound.
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