Pictish Trail
Pictish Trail, the alias of Scottish pop sensation Johnny Lynch, has resolutely furrowed his own path, steadily creating a unique catalogue of recordings and performances, while eschewing the blueprint of the predictable singer-songwriter in favour of something untidily intriguing.
Photos
Photos
Biography
Pictish Trail, the alias of Scottish pop sensation Johnny Lynch, has resolutely furrowed his own path, steadily creating a unique catalogue of recordings and performances, while eschewing the blueprint of the predictable singer-songwriter in favour of something untidily intriguing.
‘Island Family’ is the fifth album from Isle-of-Eigg dwelling electro-acoustic psych-pop wonder Pictish Trail. A strange, unpredictable, sardonic and yet deeply personal record inspired by all from Fever Ray to The Flaming Lips, Liars, Mercury Rev and Beck. ‘Island Family’ is Pictish Trail’s contrarian view of arcadia; a search for the euphoric in the bucolic.
When not putting out his own music as Pictish Trail, Johnny Lynch is a fulcrum of the British independent music community. Through his label Lost Map Records, he champions a diverse and idiosyncratic array of extraordinary talent, helping to elevate the likes of Rozi Plain, Seamus Fogarty, Bas Jan, Callum Easter and Free Love.
His critically acclaimed first pair of albums were gloriously eclectic slices of lo-fi folk-pop, later revived as a deluxe double-vinyl by Moshi Moshi. His third album ‘Future Echoes’ was released to further acclaim in 2016, and was shortlisted for Scottish Album of the Year Award. In 2020 Johnny released his fourth LP, ‘Thumb World’ a voyage to the outer rings of Pictish Trail’s mind at its darkest, funniest and most inventive – described by Clash as “his most dazzling, most exceptional yet”.
“One of my favourite artists” Lauren Laverne
The psychedelic sound of the Inner Hebrides... absolutely love it
Lauren Laverne BBC6 Music
Listen
Island Family is wild, rangy and dramatic, as befits its staggering landscapes and characters through Eigg’s darker history
The Observer
Endlessly inventive ★★★★
Uncut
Wonderfully weird pop
Brooklyn Vegan
Press Clippings
An album of splendid contrasts from a similarly mercurial setting
Electronic Sound
Press Quotes
“Wonderful” Chris Hawkins, BBC6 Music
“Island Family is wild, rangy and dramatic, as befits its staggering landscapes and characters through Eigg’s darker history” The Observer
★★★★ Mojo
★★★★ Loud and Quiet
★★★★ CLASH
“Scottish polymath’s fulsome fifth goes from blissful to beat-driven” ★★★★ Uncut
“Wonky electronics meets Beta Band sequence psych pop, with Pictish Trail’s warm voice intoning those evocative lyrics.” Clash
“An album of splendid contrasts from a similarly mercurial setting” Electronic Sound
“Nature-inspired electronic pop” Norman Records
“Brilliantly structured mini ballads and pop bangers with maximal and hugely inventive arrangements” Drift Records – Albums of the week
“Wonderfully weird pop” Brooklyn Vegan
“Island Family takes us in surprising directions (…) Its creativity is not formulaic and offers a challenging authenticity” Popmatters
★★★★ The Times
★★★★ The Scotsman
“The great thing about ‘Island Family’ is how it just takes whatever direction it feels like at the time and is free of cliche and predictability.” ★★★★★ Scene Alba
“A magical maelstrom of electro psych pop” ★★★★ Narc
“A high-energy, personal, record” Snack Mag
Playlists
Spotify:
Fresh Finds Experimental
Oblique
Monday Spin
Melomaniac
Apple Music:
New in Indie
New in Alternative
Today’s Indie Rock
New in Rock
Electro-Pop
Midnight City
Indie Pop
