John Blek

In the artist's words:

John Blek "The Midnight Ache"

The Midnight Ache is a stunningly beautiful and perfectly formed piece of alternative folk with a lo-fi heart and a touch of humble grandeur, performed by an artist with a voice that can break hearts and songs that can heal even the most weary souls. John Blek, known as one of Ireland's most creative and independent artists, releases another beautiful record with 11 new songs. This time John has taken his DIY spirit one step further. Not only did he record and produce the majority of the album himself, but he even went so far as to build the recording studio with his own hands. "A labor of love but labor all the same" is how Blek describes the process.

In April 2024, Blek completed the construction of his new creative home, Bigger River Recording Co. and set to work on what would later become The Midnight Ache. Echoes of Sparklehorse and Beck, circa Sea Change-era, lend a lo-fi intimacy to this record, while the string arrangements balance the sound with expansiveness and sophistication. The new album revolves around the theme of "home". It features vocals from John's wife and even the cover is adorned with pressed flowers from their garden. Production and mixing was handled by his regular collaborator Brian Casey at Wavefield Recordings.

"This album took me by surprise. I was slowly writing and using the songs to try to get to know the new studio space. Sonically feeling my way around and seeing what I could achieve when all of a sudden I realized I was looking at a new record." (JB)