ALL OF OUR HANDS

ALL OF OUR HANDS

Nature-inspired album by independent musician James Frost celebrates the power of community and collaboration 

“All of Our Hands is an album of great vision that honours the sacred in our lives and calls to a better world.” Satish Kumar, author of Soul, Soil, Society

Conscious Frontiers has been delighted to support nature-inspired musician and songwriter James Frost with publicity for his spellbinding new album, All of Our Hands, which – funded by fans, backed by the Arts Council and co-created by over 100 singers and musicians – holds testament to the power of community and collaboration to bring an independent album release to life.   

Marking the album’s media release last month, James launched the YouTube premiere of his captivating A Day at Real World Studios mini documentary, unveiling exclusive live footage of the All of Our Your Hands recording sessions at Peter Gabriel’s iconic Real World Studios, where his fans – who raised a remarkable £16,000 through the album’s (Indiegogo) crowdfunding campaign – were invited to sing with big choirs.

“With streaming algorithms and artificial intelligence finding increasing leverage in the music industry, it’s no surprise that some independent artists are turning back to the power of community, looking to create work that involves fans in the creative process, and bringing a stronger connection to the music we listen to.

“I love the idea that, as a fan, you could pre-order an album and then go and sing on it! And that you can be intimately involved in how the album is recorded and packaged, seeing inside the world of the artist. So I embarked on a journey of making an album which put fans at the heart of it.”

James Frost

James also invited fans and online audiences to create artwork for the album’s lyric booklet, drawing pictures of hands to represent the ‘All Of Our Hands’ theme of collective collaboration.

A musician, songwriter and spirited troubadour, James’s life and music are deeply rooted in the wild landscapes and creative communities of Dartmoor where he lives. He has toured extensively, playing shows with Martha Tilston, James Yorkston, Tiny Ruins and many other folk heroes, alongside festival appearances at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Wilderness and Folk East.

Seamlessly blending a rich mix of musical styles, including traditional folk (Olde England Alive), gospel (All Of Our Hands), swing-jazz (Love Will Never Leave Your Heart), Americana (Gypsy Roots), and sacred chant (Om Ma De Allah), the album is tied together by James’ rich, resonant vocals and the exquisite synergy of a live band. The collection of songs interweaves an eclectic tapestry of world instruments, acoustic instrumentation, choirs, gospel singers, live band recordings and sparkling audio production. Mixed by renowned LA sound designer John Hendicott, guest vocalists on the album include Kyla Jade (American gospel singer, finalist on ‘The Voice’ USA), Carmody (London-based vocalist) and gospel choir Soul Of The City. 

Borne from James’s musical pilgrimages across Britain, the album’s songs are infused with spiritual and nature themes. Just as Gypsy Roots, the album’s first single – brought to life in video – evokes the magic of Dartmoor, many of the songs were inspired by the wild landscapes James visited, from the Scottish Borders to the Cornish coasts. “I often felt like an ancient bard, travelling from place to place, telling stories and sharing songs,” James says. “And it was on these journeys that I met the hundreds of music lovers who would ultimately fund my recordings and sing in the album’s huge community choirs!”

Publicity highlights for the album to date include:

• A feature in The Guardian sharing a musical pilgrimage James made across Southern England which inspired his album song, Old England Alive
• An interview with Tony Livesey on BBC 5 Live sharing the heart-warming story of community collaboration behind the album,  plus several more BBC radio interviews

James also explores his extraordinary musical odyssey with Will Gethin on this week’s latest episode of the Follow Your Blissters hero’s journey podcast.