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lyrics

A green island, like an emerald burning in the ocean. On the shore, a woman fishing. The net was made from strands of her own shining hair; and fish jumped in of their own accord.

Ruggiero flew over a land of meadows, orange groves, and shady forests where the nightingale shelters. As soon as he was close enough, he leapt to the ground: he dragged his steed to earth, and tethered her to a nearby myrtle bush, while he stopped to drink from a pool of clear water. Travelling a thousand miles in full armour gives you a thirst.

But then the myrtle bush cleared its throat. ‘Excuse me: please untie your strange beast. Once I was a knight, until I was changed into this bush by the enchantress Alcina: I don’t deserve to become a tethering post as well.’ The myrtle bush urged the astonished Ruggiero not to fall into the enchantress’ snares. Ruggiero promised to resist temptation: but as he walked along the shore, there was Alcina, smiling and holding out her hand. ‘Come, Ruggiero: let me show you my island. And join me for dinner – look, fish pie.’

How could Ruggiero withstand enchantment like this? He settled into a life of luxury on the island. So much fish pie that he almost couldn’t fit into his armour. But one day, as he lay back idly watching the clouds, a turtle dove, flying overhead, dropped something at his feet: Bradamante’s magic ring.

At once Ruggiero woke from the spell: with the image of his true love in his head, he saw Alcina with different eyes; gaps in her teeth; a bald patch on her head, and those breasts like firm ripe apples seemed to him now like wrinkled rotten fruit. He rushed from her perfumed pavilion, gasping for breath: while Alcina, heart-broken, tried to decide whether to turn him to a pine tree, a pebble or a polecat: but it was too late, Ruggiero was gone.

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from Lovers and Fighters, released April 29, 2020

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Jessica Law Cambridge, UK

"Packed with emotion, surprise and wit." - The Daily Album
“Someone… who’d probably get laughed off the X-Factor for not being exactly the same as everyone else.” – Nightshift Magazine
"A collection of intriguing folk songs, packed with expressive lyrics, strange rhythms and creative instrumentation." - Ocelot Magazine ... more

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