Ostara sounds like the intersection of a dusty European library and a rainy London street. At its core is the rhythmic, almost martial strumming of an acoustic guitar, providing a steady heartbeat for Richard Leviathan’s rich, commanding baritone. It is music that feels deeply rooted in the past, yet it uses modern textures like subtle synthesizers and electric leads to keep the sound from feeling like a museum piece.
What makes the project distinctive is the way it balances the bleakness of the neofolk genre with a surprising sense of melodic pop sensibility. While peers in the apocalyptic folk scene often lean into harsh noise or ritualistic repetition, Ostara embraces songcraft. The lyrics are dense with historical references, mythology, and existential longing, delivered with the poise of a weary philosopher who has seen too many empires fall.
For those new to the sound, 'Kingdom Gone' is the ideal entry point. It captures the transition from their early, starker folk roots into a more expansive, rock-influenced territory. It is the perfect companion for anyone who enjoys the dark romanticism of Leonard Cohen but wishes he had spent more time reading about the collapse of Western civilization.
Ostara is a British folk music group, "described in the musical press as a neo-folk / pop music hybrid", founded by Richard Leviathan (born Richard Levy) and Timothy Jenn, as a change of name and stylistic direction from their previous band, Strength Through Joy. Jenn left the band in 2001. Guitarist Stu Mason, drummer Tim Desmond, and former Bronski Beat/Communards bassist Dave Renwick left the band in 2010, as work was due to start on a new album. Leviathan is now the only member of the band. Finnish musician Kari Hatakka, known as the singer of the band Waltari, played synthesizers on some Ostara tracks.
Shares analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style); brooding, nostalgic, melancholic (moods)
Shares brooding, nostalgic, melancholic (moods); baritone, deadpan, crooning (vocal style)
Shares analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style); art rock, alternative rock, darkwave (subgenres)
Shares analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style); brooding, melancholic, mysterious (moods)
Shares analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style); baritone, deadpan, narrating (vocal style)
Shares brooding, nostalgic, melancholic (moods); analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style)
Shares analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style); brooding, melancholic, mysterious (moods)
Shares analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style); brooding, nostalgic, melancholic (moods)
Shares brooding, melancholic, defiant (moods); analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style)
Shares analog warmth, layered dense, studio polished (production style); brooding, nostalgic, defiant (moods)
Shares neofolk, baritone, darkwave, art rock (signature)
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