Central Coast News

Vanishing Shapes present Beyond the Folk

Source: Central Coast Conservatorium Inc.

Archived 9 Dec 2018 - Posted: 12 Oct 2018

Central Coast flautist Jennifer Hankin is taking her classical Conservatorium training and heading up an artistic movement sweeping contemporary soundscapes with her experimental folk band, Vanishing Shapes.

Vanishing Shapes is an experimental folk band whose eclectic style was endearingly dubbed ‘fairy music’ during an early tour through Northern NSW.

In an imaginative take on the folk idiom, Vanishing Shapes fuse melodic elements of Celtic and various Eastern European folk styles with a wide selection of influences including chamber music, funk and progressive rock. Featuring flute, clarinet, guitar and double bass the band seamlessly traverse from cinematic soundscapes to twisted dance tunes bringing out many colours of their instrumentation.

Their performance at Gosford’s Youth Arts Warehouse will feature music written for their upcoming third release as well as music from their original studio releases Tiny Planets and Urcheon, plus more.

"We will be playing a substantial amount of unrecorded material in Gosford,” says Tim Merrikan on Double Bass, Electric Bass and Charango. “The newer compositions include a three-part fantasy themed suite which explores the range of emotions experienced in other worldly encounters.”

“The works are the Vanishing Shapes most ambitious work to date, in terms of written detail and technical demand,” says Jennifer. “As a result Tim has written a simple folk piece to contrast it using more conventional harmony opening it up for individual improvisation.”

In 2012 Vanishing Shapes formed at Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, planning a once-off performance of three traditional folk pieces. During improvised rehearsals they wrote their first piece, The Road to the Cuckoo’s Nest, a twisting, ten-minute arrangement featuring blended renditions of the traditional melodies over constantly shifting harmonic and rhythmic textures.

Their unique sound has found a home in some unexpected places, receiving support from the Hunter-Central Coast warehouse scenes, sharing the stage with diverse national and international acts including Afenginn, The Crooked Fiddle Band and Asta.

The band has kept themselves busy touring independently, releasing an EP and full-length album and playing festivals including Albans Folk Festival, Wollombi Music Festival and Regrowth Festival.

A graduate of the Central Coast Conservatorium, amongst her multiple artistic ventures Jennifer Hankin teaches flute at the Central Coast Conservatorium Schools Program.

Vanishing Shapes are

Jenny Hankin (flute, piccolo, vocals, egg-shaker)
Joshua Rea (cello, piano, vocals)
Jake Kennedy (guitar, train whistle)
Tim Merrikin (bass, charango, triangle)
Nick Jamieson (clarinet)