March 26 - April 2: The Inferno by Shadowfax

Shadowfax is an alternative folk band that emerged from a pure white egg floating on a bed of seafoam in the Aegean Sea, but they are currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Their music draws deeply from various mythologies and folk tales - from Orpheus and Eurydice to Rip Van Winkle and will o’ the wisps - punctuated by instrumentation including pedal steel, banjo, trumpet and trombone, and the occasional theremin. Their music may sound straightforward yet is deceptively complex, utilizing diverse arrangements and counterpoint, with lyrics favouring a narrative approach with an emphasis on internal rhyme and alliteration.

With a style that incorporates influences from folk ballad and bluegrass to shoegaze and bebop, Shadowfax is set to release their debut album “Orpheus” in the spring. In the meantime, though, they can be found weaving spider silk bonnets in nearby glades. Be sure to get lost in the web yourself by listening to their upcoming material and spotting their live performances across town.

Released in early 2023, the Inferno is a haunting neo-folk ballad infused with the same catchy, driving riffs that brought groups like Mumford and Sons major success throughout the 2010s. In taking inspiration from alt-folk groups that have come before them, Shadowfax have created a uniquely melancholic, blues-infused sound that matches the tone of the themes of environmental and spiritual decline that permeate their music. Their use of non-linear song structures, complex vocal layering, and full-sounding brass and string instrumentals further helped Shadowfax create a sound in the alt-folk scene that is uniquely their own.