Quinie - Forefowk, Mind Me [CD]

Format: CD
Catalogue No.: UTR171CD  
Barcode: 0828887117143   
Release Date: 24 Oct 2025
Genre: Folk/Experimental

Alive with ideas , this record holds the past like a cauldron, broiling bewitchingly’ - 4/5 THE GUARDIAN FOLK ALBUM OF THE MONTH

'Forefowk, Mind Me may have been several years in the making, and it may draw heavily on the songs of the past, but it feels like the perfect snapshot of a type of folk music that is unapologetically and gloriously present.' -  KLOF Album Of The Month 

‘Quinie mines an overlooked rich seam of traditional Scottish folk song treasure and brings it to the surface with wondrous results’ - WIRE

‘Instrumentally and vocally it’s a stunning set ; arresting, demanding, revealing and absorbing. These songs travel.’ - 4/5 SONGLINES + feature + cover mount track.

The record is largely sung in Scots language, one of Scotland’s three official languages along with Gaelic and English. “Scots gives me a way of expressing myself which is connected directly with the landscapes I love. It brings the songs alive and it is a fascinating language. The name of the record is in Scots - Forefowk means the people who came before, or ancestors. When we say ‘mind me,’ we can mean a few things- remind, remember, watch over or care for me. The record explores how tradition needs to be constantly reconnected with, built upon, looked after, and shared.”
Quinie sings with a style inspired by Scottish Traveller singers. “I began singing unaccompanied Scots Song in 2015 after hearing Scots Traveller singer Sheila Stewart on the radio. Initially I felt like I shouldn't sing these songs because I'm not a Traveller, and I saw people around me doing that in a way that made me uncomfortable. But on the other hand this music made sense to me and I felt driven to learn. Over the years I have met Traveller friends who taught me that settled people sharing these songs could contribute to raising awareness. Scottish Travellers are marginalised and discriminated against in modern Scotland, despite being custodians of so many of our important traditions. So I started to perform them and tell this story. From there I built on my repertoire and started writing my own songs”.
To develop this record, Quinie travelled across Argyll with her horse. They went on a pilgrimage of sorts through the ancient landscapes of the West of Scotland to explore the interconnected relationships between people, ancestors, animals, and place. The album’s vinyl release is accompanied by a book and film, documenting this unusual research process. 

Forefowk, Mind Me was recorded in August 2024 at The Big Shed in Highland Perthshire with support from Creative Scotland. Quinie is accompanied by an ensemble of musicians: Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh (viola), Oliver Pitt (duduk, bouzouki, percussion), Harry Górski-Brown (small pipes, violin), and Stevie Jones (double bass, recording, and mixing). Each of these artists brings their own distinctive voice, bridging contemporary experimental practice with worlds of traditional and early music.

SIDE A 01. Col My Love 02. Bonnie Udny 03. Macaphee Turn the Cattle 04. Sae Slight a Thing 05. Auld Horse 06. Generations of Change SIDE B 07. Health, Wealth a Yer Days 08. The Seasons 09. Cam A Ye Fair 10. Sallow Buckthorn 11. Craigie Hill