Reshaping the Ecology of Art: Spell Songs Returns with In Thin Air and a Call for Environmental Vigilance

When the Oxford Junior Dictionary quietly decided to drop words such as bluebell, acorn, and wren from its latest editions in favor of technology-driven terms like chatroom and broadband, the cultural erasure did not go unnoticed. This lexicographical omission served as a stark catalyst for creative resistance. It sparked a broader cultural reckoning regarding the rapid loss of environmental awareness among younger generations. What began as a defensive maneuver by wordsmith Robert Macfarlane and illustrator Jackie Morris in their acclaimed 2017 book, The Lost Words, has since evolved into a multifaceted, cross-disciplinary movement. At the vanguard of this movement is Spell Songs, a seven-piece musical collective that utilizes traditional and contemporary compositions to resurrect endangered vocabulary and the natural ecosystems they represent.

Following a trajectory that began with their self-titled debut album in 2019—a direct musical response to The Lost Words—the collective has steadily expanded its footprint across the cultural landscape. Now, Spell Songs has returned with their third studio album, In Thin Air, released via Hudson Records. This latest record directly engages with Macfarlane and Morris’s subsequent collaborative work, The Book of Birds. As global biodiversity faces unprecedented threats, the collective’s latest offering arrives not merely as a collection of folk compositions, but as an urgent auditory and visual manifesto advocating for ecological preservation and cultural vigilance.

Chronology of a Collaborative Movement

The genesis of Spell Songs traces back to the profound public response generated by The Lost Words. Recognizing that the shrinking vocabulary of nature mirrored the physical disappearance of flora and fauna across the British landscape, a group of prominent traditional and contemporary folk musicians joined forces. This ensemble included notable artists such as Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis, and Seckou Keita, among others. Their mission was to translate the visual and textual poetry of Macfarlane and Morris into song, creating a bridge between artistic expression and ecological advocacy.

The chronology of the project highlights a deliberate, sustained expansion:

• 2017: Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris publish The Lost Words, protesting the removal of nature-based lexicon from standard children’s reference materials.
• 2019: The Spell Songs collective releases its debut album, bringing the lost flora and fauna into contemporary musical arrangements and initiating high-profile live performances.
• Subsequent Years: The collective deepens its touring footprint, integrating live painting and spoken word to emphasize the interconnectedness of various artistic mediums in environmental protest.
• Current Release: The band gathers for a pivotal, week-long residency in Pembrokeshire, Wales, to compose and record In Thin Air, structured explicitly around The Book of Birds and focusing on avian conservation.

Structural Framework and Musical Evolution

In Thin Air distinguishes itself from the collective’s previous outputs through a rigorous conceptual structure. The album directly mirrors the thematic architecture of The Book of Birds, which is organized around what Macfarlane and Morris term the "Seven Wonders of Bird": nest, egg, beak, song, feather, flight, and migration. By adhering to this architectural arc, the seven-piece ensemble achieved a more cohesive narrative journey across the record.

Unlike standard folk collaborations where artists contribute isolated tracks, the creation of In Thin Air was forged during an immersive residential writing camp in Wales. Illustrator Jackie Morris was present throughout the entire composition process, painting and observing the musicians as they worked. This cross-pollination of disciplines imbued the recording sessions with a unique, improvisatory energy.

Musicians like Karine Polwart note that this project marks a distinct maturation for the group. Rather than functioning merely as a collective of individual voices sharing a stage, the ensemble has gelled into a singular, unified musical organism. The album successfully integrates disparate global traditions—ranging from Seckou Keita’s West African rhythmic sensibilities to Julie Fowlis’s Gaelic vocal traditions—into a cohesive sonic landscape that relies heavily on instrumental storytelling, layered vocal incantations, and ambient soundscapes.

The Art of Protest and the Burden of Responsibility

In an era defined by compounding ecological crises, the intersection of art and political engagement has become a focal point of debate within creative communities. For Morris, the responsibility of the artist to address social and political upheaval is straightforward. She contends that music possesses an unmatched capability to etch ideas deep into the human consciousness, making complex concepts easier to retain and act upon. This mnemonic power, Morris observes, explains why artists and musicians have historically faced censorship, arrest, or persecution during periods of political oppression.

Polwart offers a nuanced perspective on the emergence of socially engaged art, noting that while creative works do not exclusively originate from a sense of duty—escapism, comfort, and celebration serving equally valid roles as forms of resistance—contemporary realities demand greater accountability. In the face of ecological devastation accelerated by unfettered economic models, Polwart argues that individuals must step into ethical and political engagement because institutional safeguards are increasingly failing to protect fragile ecosystems and cultural heritage.

This philosophy is deeply rooted in the traditions of Scottish, English, and Irish folk music. Polwart highlights that folk traditions have long served as vehicles for place-making, laments of exile, and political dissent. Mythic ballads frequently feature shapeshifting creatures and ecological intimacy, rendering biodiversity loss a natural extension of historic folk themes.

Direct Engagement with Avian Ecosystems

Avian species, which form the core subject of In Thin Air, have sustained a complex historical relationship with humanity. Polwart, an avid field ornithologist who regularly patrols the North Sea coast with binoculars and magnifying glasses, brought firsthand environmental experience to the album’s creation.

As part of the project’s development, Polwart participated in a research excursion to Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth. Owned by the RSPB and managed in collaboration with the Scottish Seabird Centre, the iconic volcanic rock hosts one of the largest Northern Gannet colonies in the world. Landing on the remote island and sitting amidst a hundred thousand nesting seabirds provided a visceral, foundational experience of avian life that directly informed the emotional core of the record.

Morris approaches birds through a lens of everyday wonder rather than taxonomic classification. Her artistic output is continually shaped by the spontaneous visual impact of bird flight, song, and presence, treating avian life as an integral component of the natural world rather than a commodity to be cataloged.

Live Performance Innovation and Physical Media Resistance

Translating a sprawling musical collective and a visual artist onto a single stage presented significant logistical and creative hurdles. Morris ultimately devised an innovative performance strategy centered on the theme of migration. Across seven distinct tour dates, Morris executes seven separate paintings—each featuring seven godwits—crafted entirely in real time during the musical performance. This resulting suite of artworks acts as a visual counterpoint to the band’s sonic output, ensuring that the visual arts enrich rather than distract from the auditory experience.

Beyond live staging, the collective has taken a firm stance on the physical distribution of their work. In Thin Air is available on vinyl and as a deluxe CD box set, a deliberate choice in an era dominated by digital streaming platforms. Polwart is candid regarding the economic realities of the modern music industry, noting that streaming platforms offer virtually negligible financial returns to the vast majority of artists. Consequently, crafting physical releases as tactile, collectable art objects serves as a form of creative resistance against the commercial devaluation of artistic labor.

Broader Implications and Environmental Impact

The release of In Thin Air arrives at a critical juncture for global environmental policy. As scientific reports consistently underscore accelerating rates of habitat loss and declining bird populations worldwide, cultural initiatives like Spell Songs play an increasingly vital role in public consciousness.

By translating academic ecological data and literary naturalism into accessible, emotionally resonant folk music and visual art, the project bridges the gap between scientific urgency and public apathy. While art alone cannot reverse the structural drivers of ecological decline, initiatives of this scale demonstrate the capacity of cultural institutions to foster deep empathy, reshape public vocabulary, and inspire sustained environmental vigilance.