The Bollands have curated a sound identifiably theirs... gorgeously melancholic… the honest, thoughtful songwriting craft of the band shines through - Timeout Magazine
Always on the road, New Zealand folk duo, The Bollands, have been singing their infectious foot stomping folk songs since 2011. With their love of travel, music, good friends & fine wine, they have gained a reputation for their passion-filled live shows and heartfelt folk tunes. Their energetic music stems from their upbringing in the folk and roots music scenes in small towns and folk clubs throughout New Zealand. Christian, a hairy folk singer, met Joyce, the not so hairy pianist, at a campfire jam on a remote beach in their home country, New Zealand. They clicked instantly. Since that fate-filled night, they have been playing their passion-filled songs on the road throughout the world. For the past few years Joyce and Christian have been based in Hong Kong touring constantly.
All of My Ghosts, The Bollands third album will be released on the 27th January 2017, and is their most honest, personal and experimental recording to date. Many of the songs chew on Christian Bolland’s tumultuous youth. “I think struggles with growing up, family, facing fears and accepting change are pretty universal themes that many people can relate to, ” says Christian. The duo also wanted to write songs that were honest and unambiguous. “We were trying to write songs that were straight up and tell true stories about our lives,” he adds. A good example of this kind of unambiguity is the closing track on the album, Feilding where Christian sings about belonging to a cult in his late teens.
The Bollands also take a step away from their traditional folk sounds by including vintage synths, drum machines and various new layers. “We recorded the album at Lab Studios (Auckland, New Zealand) with the incredible Oliver Harmer mixing us,” says Joyce Bolland. “The studio had so many great toys for us to play with, so we pretty much played with everything. It really affected the way we put the songs together, I think it adds heaps more space and depth to the record as a whole.” The haunting title track All of My Ghosts, shows the new directions the band has taken in this record. As much as there are electronic additions to the project, it is still an honest folk record at its core with songs of love, pain and change.
To promote All of My Ghosts. The Bollands will be touring extensively throughout New Zealand, Asia and Europe visiting old haunts and unfamiliar places, reconnecting with their fans and no doubt winning new ones wherever they go.
