Introducing Birdvox

The current trend in avian-inspired musical projects shows no sign of abating. Joining the distinguished ranks of artists professing an appreciation of birds are four highly acclaimed musicians – Inge Thomson, Jenny Sturgeon, Sarah Hayes and Charlotte Printer – who call themselves Birdvox. Besides their mutual passion for all things feathered, these four women bonded over their love of harmony singing and kitchen discos.

Birdvox is an evolution of Northern Flyway, the multimedia project Thomson and Sturgeon began in 2017, featuring Hayes on vocals, beatboxer Jason Singh and sound recordist Magnus Robb. “We loved doing Northern Flyway,” says Sturgeon, who has a PhD in seabird ecology, “but it was quite logistically and economically difficult to tour because there were seven of us (four musicians, plus three crew).” They came up with the idea of Birdvox on their last tour in 2021 and decided that they wouldn’t just focus on birds, but anything they felt really passionate about.

The project is still very much in its infancy – when we speak (in mid-April), they have yet to perform a gig. One track they share with me is ‘Cicadas’, a song Thomson wrote during a residency in Vietnam where she became fascinated with this tiny insect that creates a mighty sound. It’s a joyfully up-tempo number with disco beats and Thomson’s distinctive vocals and accordion underpinned by an array of synths – in keeping with the electro, upbeat sound the foursome are experimenting with, although acoustic instruments (accordion, flute, guitar) are still very much part of their sound.

While cicadas aren’t the normal indigenous species the four generally write about, Thomson confirms that birds feature in around a quarter of the tracks, either as inspiration for song titles or as sound recordings, including a dawn chorus Sturgeon recorded in Glenshee.

Besides birds, the songs are, says Hayes, “about wider aspects of the natural world and exploring a variety of subjects, including misogyny in the music industry, mental health, neurodivergence and more.” ‘We Are’, written by Sturgeon is “about us trying to do our best and feeling like we’re coming up against everything, whether that’s as women in work or whether that’s reading the news and feeling helpless about what we can do to make a change.” Sturgeon wants to instil that sense of camaraderie you get when you’re dancing at a festival or in a club with a load of people you don’t know. “It’s a very uplifting song and it’s got that feeling of ‘everything is possible,’” adds Thomson. Ultimately, Birdvox are intent on making joyous music, while at the same time providing food for thought and space for contemplation. “I don’t think we could put a finger on our actual stage aesthetic yet, but it will be fun and flamboyant!” Thomson smiles.

The four will go into a studio in September to record an album but prior to that Birdvox will be performing one of their first shows (including a Silent Disco) at Cambridge Folk Festival this July as part of the festival’s new partnership with Showcase Scotland Expo. As Lisa Schwartz, Cambridge’s programming manager, says “It’s just really fun and upbeat… with this band, the whole is more than the sum of its parts, and that’s saying something!”

Birdvox are playing The Glad Cafe, Glasgow on Jul 23 and Cambridge Folk Festival (July 25-28)

This article originally appeared in the July 2024 issue of Songlines. Never miss an issue – subscribe today