Voice of the Seven Woods is the primary moniker for Manchester-based multi-instrumentalist Rick Tomlinson. Emerging in the mid-2000s, Tomlinson became a central figure in the UK's 'New Weird Britain' scene, closely associated with the B-Music collective and Twisted Nerve Records.
His sound identity is built on a foundation of virtuoso fingerstyle guitar, heavily influenced by the 'Takoma School' of John Fahey and the British folk traditions of Bert Jansch and Nick Drake. However, Tomlinson distinguishes himself through a heavy infusion of psychedelic rock, raga structures, and krautrock rhythms. His career arc moved from limited-run CD-Rs and 7-inch singles to more expansive, full-band arrangements that incorporated Chris Walmsley's driving percussion. Critically, he is viewed as a vital link between traditional pastoral folk and modern experimentalism. His work is often cited for its ability to evoke specific landscapes, particularly the rural North of England, while maintaining a globalist musical perspective through the use of non-Western scales and modal improvisation.
Shares freak folk, bonfire, psychedelic rock, haunting (signature)
Shares freak folk, psychedelic rock, haunting, forest (subgenre)
Shares mysterious, mountain, progressive rock, bonfire (signature)
Shares freak folk, forest, analog_warmth, dusk (signature)
Shares freak folk, acoustic guitar, acoustic folk, forest (signature)
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