Music Tuesday #295: folky trip-hop

Is it folk? Is it "archaeological hip-hop"? It’s likely both and neither. It’s a "portrait drawn with smoke," and for a band that refuses to show their faces, it’s a remarkably vivid piece of self-negation. A dizzying, alarming slice of future-past. If the old gods still have a radio station, this is the only thing they’re broadcasting.

Sons of Uisliu crossed the sea with hundred fifty fighting men
Came to Alba hired themselves out as soldiers to its king
Built their house so that no one could see the girl that was within
Steward came round early saw the girl went to wake the king

‘I never saw a woman that was fit for you until today
If you have killed Noisiu mac Uislenn you can have the woman’
‘No’, said the king ‘But ask everyday if nothing can be done
Then we’ll call together fighting men kill sons of Uisliu’

News reached Ulster and everyone said that it would be a shame
Sons of Uisliu fall for the fault of a bad woman
Conchobor sent for them and the sons of Uisliu crossed the sea
Promises of safety came to stand upon Emain green

Noisiu was met by a spear thrust broke his back and through him down
Field broke out in slaughter Derdriu taken and her hands were bound
No one left but by the spike of spear or by the slash of sword
Three hundred and fifty men laid down Emain Macha burned

Exile of the Sons of Uisliu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmtRMIudpgI