The Third Eye

Empty House has returned with a new record of psychedelic wizardry called Bluestone, released on March 29th. The solo project of Blackpool-based musician Fred Laird sounds stranger than ever, with the ambient sounds on Bluestone creating an instrumental tapestry that sears deep into the night and pulsates with dark energy.

Laird wrote and recorded Bluestone after a three-day trip around the Pembroke-shire coastline in November 2023. He says it’s the lunar sister to the brighter-sounding The Golden Hour, recorded during the spring/summer of 2023 but only released in February 2024.

The bluestone of the title refers to the stones from the Preseli Hills and the burial chamber, Pentre Ifan, a magnificent Cromlech that inspired Laird to record the album. This spot is a place of enlightenment for Laird, and on a beautiful sunny winter morning in November, the man behind Empty House finally had a chance to touch the stones and feel their formidable energy.

Perhaps that energy was transferred to Laird, who recorded Bluestone very quickly in December 2023. The Irish Bouzouki is the main instrument on the record, and vast swathes of feedback, organ, piano, and e-bow were added. Nick Raybould adds djembe to the track “Fires At Midnight.”

“The sound has a rustic feel, and there are lots of glitches, cutouts, and buzz noises that are intentional. To me, they add further mystery to the album,” Fred says on Bandcamp. He ain’t lying. The Golden Hour felt more like an ode to the mystics like William Blake, while Bluestone concerns itself more with a mystical location. The energies are more mysterious on Bluestone, but the sounds are every bit as exotic and entrancing as most Empty House albums.

“Cromlech” opens the record and sounds like dusk descending on the coastline, the yellow moon rising in the sky. Laird channels the druidry inside him, conjuring a darkened atmosphere that shapeshifts between harsh noise and gentle ambiance over the five-minute-plus runtime. The title track follows and is the record’s longest song at over twelve minutes. The frequent cutouts are disorienting, as is the screeching guitar. We’re under the protection of the pagan gods now, discerning patterns in the night sky and gathered around the firelight. “Bluestone” is a journey, so strap in for the ride on this one.

“Fires At Midnight” follows with the addition of the djembe, a goblet drum played with bare hands originally from West Africa. The djembe adds to the tribal feel of the song, creating a cross-cultural blend that sounds like music for a ceremonial dance. “Old Ways” feels more in line with songs from The Golden Hour. The track is a bit brighter than the rest of Bluestone, but it still fits on the record because of the seeming Celtic influence.

“Written In The Earth” cuts in with a fluid, free-flowing sonic arrangement, giving the impression that we’ve emerged from the treacherous night and are watching the sun rise over the coastline. But just when you think we’re out of the night, the record ends with another darker track, “Initiation.” With a runtime of over nine minutes, “Initiation” combines spacey electronic sounds and piano for one of the moodier sound paintings of Bluestone. The song builds into a higher-pitched intensity midway through and closes the album well.

As always, Fred of Empty House has made a fascinating record with Bluestone, which is good for fans of Popol Vuh and other weird, experimental instrumental music. Whether you’re couch-surfing or taking a walk outside, Bluestone is a perfect companion for mind-expanding journeys. Enjoy!

Check out Bluestone by Empty House on Bandcamp here.

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