Track of the Week: Elanor Moss shares the simple, beautiful secret weapon, ‘Certainty’
There have been countless magical studios throughout music history, but in recent years, a new one seems to be emerging.
Over in Devon, Middle Farm Studio and its resident produce Peter Miles seems to be becoming the centre point some of the UK’s rising stars revolve around, and none of them are sparklier than Elanor Moss.
Moss has two EPs and a few songs out, but I’d say the best of all of them is ‘Louise’; a recording of a new song only included on Middle Farm Sessions Vol.1, a compilation mix of tracks from friends of the studio. Now, on the second addition of the series, Moss once again appears as a lightening strike of understated beauty on the lineup, sharing ‘Certainty’.
I caught Moss live in 2024 and have thought about it since. With a range like Joni Mitchell, lyrics so sharp they could make you gasp, but a voice so beautiful it keeps you quiet, it doesn’t feel like an over-exaggeration to suggest that the single is the biggest secret weapon in British folk right now.
Her recent track, ‘Again, My Love’, produced by Middle Farm’s Miles, was long-awaited further proof of that, but it’s on a song like this that she truly glows.
Moss appears as a master of simplicity. For a song this stunning to simply just be in the middle of a compilation mix, threatening to creep under the radar, it feels criminal. But just like with ‘Louise’, these songs come along with a potential so bright that surely one day in the future they’ll sit on modern classic folk albums that turn timeless, surely with a voice like that they have to.
But let me use this as a chance to get on my soapbox to say this – pay attention.
Moss is currently touring with Flyte across Europe, and every night, hundreds of idiots will show up too late and miss something special. No doubt plenty of people will get other tracks from this new compilation in their weekly Release Radar or be served Dodie’s offering to it through the algorithm, but not give the full release a spin. There is so much art to be missed if you don’t pay attention, and give that attention for longer than a glimmer.
Take some time, go to the gigs early, put the album on start to finish and find something gorgeous – like Elanor Moss and a simple, beautiful song like this.
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