Smoke Fairies

Smoke Fairies, the duo of Katherine Blamire and Jessica Davies, represent a significant bridge between the 21st-century British folk revival and traditional American blues. Formed in 2006 after the pair spent time in New Orleans and Vancouver, their sound is a deliberate synthesis of these geographies.

They gained early critical traction as the first UK act to release a single on Jack White’s Third Man Records, a testament to their authentic blues sensibilities. Their career arc is marked by a move from the stripped-back folk of their early EPs to the more robust, rock-influenced textures of their self-titled 2014 album and the darker, more industrial-tinged Darkness Brings The Wonders Home. Critically, they are lauded for their vocal precision and their ability to maintain a 'spectral' quality across various production styles. They occupy a niche alongside artists like This Is the Kit and Sandy Denny, but are distinguished by their heavier reliance on electric blues motifs and a persistent 'winter' aesthetic that permeates their discography.