The Scotsman Sessions #216: Hamish Hawk

Welcome to the award-winning Scotsman Sessions. With performing arts activity curtailed for the foreseeable future, we are commissioning a series of short video performances from artists all around the country and releasing them on scotsman.com, with introductions from our critics. Here, Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Hamish Hawk offers a sneak preview of his new single, Calls to Tiree

According to his Bandcamp page, Edinburgh-based singer/songwriter Hamish Hawk “spent the last three years asleep.” In that case, what a weird pseudo-sci-fi world to wake up to. Thankfully, judging by this Scotsman Sessions “sneak peek” of his new single Calls to Tiree, delivered from his bedroom, Hawk seems to have emerged from creative hibernation with all his natural character intact.

“Anyone who's tuned into my livestreams throughout lockdown will be familiar with these four walls,” he says. “I think 2020 was the year of accessorising what's behind you so you look fancy on Zoom calls. I'm not sure 2021 has the energy….”

Hawk studied at the University of St Andrews, where his demo caught the ear of local music royalty King Creosote. Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones is another high profile fan who became his manager and has produced Hawk’s forthcoming album Heavy Elevator from his Leith studio.

Influenced by the pithy wit of Magnetic Fields frontman Stephin Merritt, Hawk infuses his work with humour – quite the test in the current climate, though never needed more.

“Lockdown has been an extraordinarily difficult time for all of us,” says Hawk, “I count myself very fortunate indeed that I've been able to work throughout [for independent record shop Assai Records]. I'm sure I'm not alone in having reflected on a great deal, which happens to provide ample fuel for songwriting. The band and I have been sharing demos throughout lockdown, so we're already well on our way to a follow-up to Heavy Elevator, and 2021 is already shaping up to be a much busier year for us.

“We're hoping to get back on the horse and start gigging again towards the end of the year. With any luck the next few months will be crammed full of rehearsals – we can't wait to get out of the house!”

Calls To Tiree is out on 16 April, Heavy Elevator will be released in August

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