Where The Magic Happens
© Fred Thomas
It has been a true joy to welcome back multi-instrumentalist and polymath Fred Thomas – not this time to record, but to lose himself in days of writing, playing deep into the night, and letting the landscape weave its quiet magic into his music. Here, in the stillness of the North York Moors, inspiration seeps into every note, every phrase.
Fred is riding high, buoyed by the glowing reception of Za Górami, his recent ECM release with singer-violinist Alice Zawadzki and bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado. Their journey began right here at Ayriel Studios, where the trio recorded their first demo (‘The Perfect Mix’), a session that led to a record deal with ECM. Now the album is earning high praise, most recently from The Guardian, cementing its place as something truly remarkable.
So where better to return – to write, to dream, to reconnect with the energy that gave rise to that first demo? Ayriel Studios, of course! The Moors, presently carpeted in glorious snow, shimmer beneath skies so brilliantly blue you’d be forgiven for thinking you had wandered onto Scandinavian soil.
At the Lion Inn - Blakey Rigg
© Fred Thomas
Log fires crackle, frost-laced paths glisten, and the hush of winter nights give way to bursts of improvisation. Fuelled by hearty Yorkshire meals and uninterrupted creative flow, Fred takes away a wealth of new ideas – seeds of a forthcoming project we can’t wait to hear take shape. It’s a privilege to witness how this studio, and everything it holds, shapes an artist’s work – how sound becomes a reflection of experience.
Ayriel Studios isn’t just a recording space – it’s a sanctuary for creativity, a retreat where ideas can be nurtured and given the freedom to unfurl. Here, with 24/7 studio access, inspiration follows no schedule; music emerges in its own time.
This is where magic happens.