Gently Tender – This Was Once Fields

The first new music from Gently Tender since 2023, sonically inspired by the landscapes of the rolling hills and rugged moors of the British countryside. The band's stirring indie rock sound is built from lush harmonies and pastoral melodies, touching on elements of folk, punk and soul. Seeking escape from the city in the relief of the great outdoors, front man Sam Fryer would head out from the studio to the green belt of North London to walk for miles upon miles, often until the last moments of light disappeared into the dusk. The view of London from afar at nighttime ignited a spark: I would reflect on my life and myself as I exist inside the city I've lived in for my entire life, that I've loved and fallen out of love with over again. The city does weigh on me heavily but it's not easy to leave a place you've loved forever. The line-up brings together Sam Fryer, Pete Mayhew and Will Doyle (formerly of Palma Violets), guitarist Adam Brown, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Francesca Brierley (who also makes music as heka), and Evie Hilyer-Ziegler (who played alongside Fryer in folk group Broadside Hacks and brings flourishes of violin and flute).