Ian Rowland and the Subtown Set Drop New Single 'Butterfly'

With their debut album 'Double Rainbow' arriving on 28th February 2020, Sussex folk trio - IAN ROLAND & THE SUBTOWN SET today release the latest single to be taken from it: 'Butterfly'.

As elegant in sound and fluttering in melody as the creature of its inspiration, 'Butterfly' finds the outfit spreading their wings with this intricate and soul-warming modern-folk composition.

Casting off the shadows of previous single 'In The Darkness', this latest release sees frontman and songwriter Ian Roland daydreaming of the wonders of Spring, while reminiscing on the fondest memories that decorated his own childhood.

Opening-up about the emotive lyrics of 'Butterfly', Roland says:

"'Butterfly' is a song about walks with my children when they were younger, around Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place, a botanic garden housing Kew's Millennium Seed Bank and it's a song about my own childhood, climbing trees in Mayow Park, the oldest municipal park in the South London borough of Lewisham."

The new single is accompanied by a fittingly beautiful video, filmed by videographer and friend of the band: Josh Lewis. Shot at the South Downs National Park near the band's hometown of Brighton, the video finds the band performing on a hilltop against the park's breathtaking landscape. While filmed on a chilly steel-grey day back in October 2019, the video introduces vibrant scenes of natural flora and fauna in bloom, permeating through the gloom with the promise of Spring just around the corner.

Though initially written in October 2018, 'Butterfly' was only finalised in its orchestration in the last year. With Roland supplying its trickling arpeggios and winsome vocals, it was left to violinist Simon Yapp and cellists Brione Jackson and Jade Woodhouse to add their lush, yawning string sections to the mix. With the finished version tested-out on audiences at the band's shows around the country last year, the track has already gone down as an instant live favourite and was an instinctive choice for the Subtown Set's next single.

Recorded at Subtown Studios in Brighton, 'Butterfly' was mastered by Alan Lowles at Airtight Studios, Manchester and engineered by Séadna McPhail.

'Butterfly' will be released in digital stores on 31st January 2020. It will also be featured on the band's debut album 'Double Rainbow' - out 28 February 2020.

Ian Roland & The Subtown Set are also currently on a tour of the UK, catch the band at the following UK towns and venues:

IAN ROLAND & THE SUBTOWN SET 2019/20 LIVE DATES

JANUARY

Thurs 16th Jan 2020 - (8pm doors) - The Anchor Folk Club, The Blue Anchor Pub, 155 High Road, Byfleet, Surrey. KT14 7RL www.anchorfolkclub.com

FEBRUARY

Sat 1st Feb 2020 - (4pm-6pm) - World Folk Show, Marlow FM 97.5 (Live Radio session)

Sun 16th Feb 2020 - (11am - 1pm) - Sunday Brunch Live at The Depot - Lewes, Pinwell Road, Lewes BN7 2JS lewesdepot.org

Wed 19th Feb 2020 - (8pm doors) - D3W3, Alton Rugby Club, 23 Anstey Ln, Alton GU34 2NB

Sat 29th Feb 2020 - (1pm) - Union Music Store - In-Store - Lewes. A live In-Store session for the launch of the new album, 'Double Rainbow', at Union Music Store, 1 Lansdown Place, Lewes BN7 2JT www.unionmusicstore.com

MARCH

Sun 1st March 2020 - (9pm) - Doug Welch's Folk Show - BBC Radio Kent 96.7 FM | 104.2 FM (Live Radio session)

Fri 13th March 2020 (12pm) - Radio Ashford 107.1FM with Phill Thorne (Live Radio session)

APRIL
Wed 15th April 2020 (7pm doors) - LaTR: On Tap at The Southey Brewery, 21 Southey Street, Penge SE20 7JD SoutheyBrewing Ticket Link www.WeGotTickets.com

Sun 26th April 2020 - (3.30pm) - Lewes Con Club - Sundays in the Bar, 139 High Street, Lewes BN7

MAY

Wed 6th May 2020 - (7.30pm) - Lymington Folk & Blues Club, White Hart, 17 Milford Road, SO41 9DF www.lymingtonfolkandblues.org

JUNE

Sun 28th June 2020 (10am) Radio Ashford 107.1FM with Ben Watson (Live Radio session)

Sun 28th June 2020 (2pm to 4pm) - The Glass House, 22 High Street, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8TD www.the-glass-house.co.uk

Ian Roland & The Subtown Set are songwriter and guitarist, Ian Roland, joined by Simon Yapp, on violin and Jade Woodhouse, on cello. They are a #FolkPop #SoulFolk group with a nod to the classical and an embrace of three-part harmonies.

New album 'Double Rainbow' is made up of 11 tracks engineered by Séadna McPhail, mastered by Alan Lowles at Airtight Studios, Manchester. Initial recordings were made at Simon Yapp's studio, Subtown Studios, in Brighton a fact that owes itself to origin of the band's name: Ian Roland & The Subtown Set. Acclaimed producer Nigel Stonier (Thea Gilmore, The Waterboys, Joan Baez, Martha Wainwright, Fairport Convention) also offered his golden touch on a number of tracks set to feature on the release, following his commendable work on the band's two previous EPs, 'Day Became You' (2017) and 'The Valley' (2018). Taking in sounds from soulful folk, to skiffle to rock'n'roll and folk-pop, the band's keenly anticipated debut sees the band traverse a breadth of styles and genres with wide-eyed ambition. Underpinned by Ian's eloquent and emotive lyricism, 'Double Rainbow' promises a beautiful and breathtaking release in waiting for the new year.

Since 2015, when Ian and Simon started performing live as a duo, they have played 300+ gigs in and around Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, London, Sussex and Kent, supporting acts such as Martin Simpson, The Black Feathers, Stick In The Wheel, and TV Smith. In support of their upcoming debut album, Ian and band will be taking 'Double Rainbow' out of the studio and to live venues across the nation throughout 2020.

IAN ROLAND & THE SUBTOWN SET WILL RELEASE THEIR LONG-AWAITED DEBUT ALBUM: 'DOUBLE RAINBOW' - 28 FEBRUARY 2020

IAN ROLAND & THE SUBTOWN SET ARE:

Ian Roland - vocals, guitars

Simon Yapp - vocals, violin

Jade Woodhouse - vocals, cello

Guest appearances:

Brione Jackson - vocals, cello

Nick Van Vlanderan - drums

Ruby Rose - backing vocals