Virginia-based Celtic duo, Kinnfolk, will release their second studio album on October 14, 2022.
Josh and Julie Kinn weave bouzouki, bodhran, and smooth vocal harmonies in their Celtic folk music from the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Since forming Kinnfolk in late 2018, the pair have played at festivals and listening rooms throughout Virginia and beyond. In 2021, Kinnfolk was one of 10 bands, representing 10 countries from across the globe, selected to be part of the inaugural Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase hosted by the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. As their notoriety has expanded worldwide, their music has been featured on podcasts and radio programs across the globe.
The duo’s new album, The Knotted Circle, asks what it means to create and participate in Irish traditional music while living in America. “We’ve been thinking about music and lineage, and how traditional music is less of a line and more of a circle,” says vocalist and bodhran-player Julie Kinn. “It’s constantly self-reflecting, folding back to the past as it weaves the present and looks to the future. And with so many people from countless countries around the world participating, that circle has become quite knotted…in a very beautiful way.”
Subscribe to Kinnfolk's monthly e-newsletter newsletter (bottom of page) to stay up-to-date with album announcements such as track lists, live show dates, and more!
Explore the Track List
We announced The Knotted Circle's official track list on social media on September 20. You'll see several traditional favorites (like "As I Roved Out" and "Loch Lomond"), a couple of modern Celtic classics (like "The Galway Girl" and "Kilkelly, Ireland"), and two Kinnfolk originals ("The Hat Song" and "The Borden Set"). Some tracks are Irish, some Scottish, and others engage with the movement of emigrants from Europe to America (most notably "The Transatlantic Set," which features three tunes found in traditional music on both sides of the Atlantic). And, of course, the two Kinnfolk originals were born right here in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Some of these tracks are very familiar to our audiences, whereas others are brand new. Either way, we look forward to sharing them with you on October 14th!
Here's a live recording of "As I Roved Out" from October of last year:
Introducing "Byker Hill"
Kinnfolk released their new single, "Byker Hill," on August 15, 2022. This track is the first to be released ahead of the duo's forthcoming second album, The Knotted Circle (out October 14, 2022).
"Byker Hill" is available for streaming and download across all online music platforms.
And don't forget to watch the official music video! Filmed at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama, the deep rust oranges of the blast furnace and bright blue sky make the perfect backdrop for a song about coal miners
Follow Kinnfolk across social media to stay up-to-date on album announcements and daily shenanigans!