Ben McElroy: Beacons of the Wilderness

Ben is an ambient/folk musician originally from The Wirral but now residing in Nottingham. He combines acoustic instruments (guitar, viola, clarinet, whistles and vocals) with a laptop to create folk inspired soundscapes. Ben has been writing music since his teens, with just a basic grasp of guitar and recording, but over the years has honed his sound, bringing in more instruments and finding influence in artists including Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan, Richard Skelton and Brian Eno. In April 2023 he received funding from Help Musicians to release his new album (a recorded take on his live set) on vinyl and tour it around the UK. The album, called Beacons of The Wilderness, was released in September 2023 and described as 'Unsettling, enchanting, and downright odd, Beacons of the Wilderness proves a deliciously eccentric winner' by Songlines Magazine (Billy Rough, 4 stars). He has received positive reviews from The Guardian, Folk Radio UK and A Closer Listen amongst others. Iggy Pop also played a track on his BBC 6 Music. Live, he has played alongside artists such as Bird Ellen, Sharron Krauss, Nick Jonah Davis and Haress. www.benmcelroy.co.uk www.facebook.com/benmcelroy4/ www.instagram.com/ben_mcelroy_music/ www.benmcelroy.bandcamp.com