Oaken Lee – Where Now? (2025)
With zeal and raw courage, singer-songwriter Oaken Lee brings emotive music to the masses in powerful sonic packages. Now, this may be our introduction to Oaken Lee, but he has several notches on his belt as an experienced artist. Past projects involved performances with Mumford & Sons; playing at notable festivals (T in the Park, Green Man, Glastonbury); notable international exposure on radio, publications and television – Oaken Lee knows his stuff. After all of that, and some years away from the industry, the UK-based musician is “…starting very much from scratch again…”. Join us as we delve into his discography with the new single ‘Where Now?’.
Following his well-received singles ‘The Rooster’ and ‘Reach Out’, ‘Where Now?’ is a bold folk-rock song protesting the effects of climate change. Melodically, ‘Where Now?’ is both complex and simplistic. In a twirl of acoustic guitar, drums, a distorted bass and percussion, there is a gentle breath of soothing folk. Yet, there is starkness and separation offering each instrument individuality in the harmonic symphony.
Along with the walk through a sparse sonic forest peeping in the background, the vocals are intriguing. Oaken Lee’s old-school, Dylan-esque vocals keep the folk-rock tone going; however, the “hmmm” of what might be a choir shoves ‘Where Now?’ to another level. Include the real-life protest section at the beginning, and you have a song that connects with listeners immediately.
“’Where Now?’ is an unashamedly nostalgic-sounding recorded with an increasingly urgent message. It also has a strong sense that redemption/recovering is still possible with the solo and the last verse bringing a sense of renewed hope…. [It is] A new protest song that could almost be a lost favourite from the 60s or 70s – if the climate crisis had been a thing back then.” – Oaken Lee on ‘Where Now?’
Needing to fit around life with work, family, and all other time-consuming stuff, Oaken Lee is very much a labour of love. With ‘Where Now?’, as well as his other songs, Oaken Lee captures the tenderness, heart, and enduring passion that comes from dedication and inspiring motivation. If this is anything to go by, I am eager to hear more from this highly recommended artist.
Find out more about Oaken Lee on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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