Blab Music
Laura Misch Releases Lithic, a Field-Recording-Driven Album Recorded in Cornwall and Hydra
When London‑based saxophonist Laura Misch turned the rugged coastlines of Cornwall and the windswept isle of Hydra into a sonic laboratory, the result was her fourth studio album, Lithic, released on 5 June 2026.
Lithic was captured live in a series of natural sites—caves, quarries, cliffs—where Misch’s saxophone was layered with field‑recorded sounds and then processed through electronics. The low‑end of the record is shaped by stone and water, giving the music a palpable sense of place.
The recording process, Misch said, was “very magical” and “quite intense.” She recalled how the unpredictable weather in Cornwall and Hydra turned sessions into a scramble: “I was doing a lot of the recording outside and in caves and quarries and we have quite bad storms so the weather… sometimes you’ve got your recording gear and your zoom and you’re scrambling down a cliff.”
Thematically, Lithic explores the concept of deep time. Misch cites sculptor Barbara Hepworth and painter Georgia O’Keeffe as inspirations for thinking about long‑term artistic processes. She mused, “I am really interested in how artists have this long timespan with their work, because we are so obsessed with newness and these short careers, but what’s a music career of 80 or 90 years? What does that look like?” The title Lithic—meaning stone—echoes that idea of enduring material.
The album’s lead single, “Shell,” is a personal reflection on mental health. Misch explained that the track began as a saxophone riff that was later taken over by a cello. “In ‘Shell’, I talk about the struggle I have a lot of the time with mental health and it talks about: ‘I spin out on a daily / A spiralling shell / Searching for somewhere to rest and unfurl.’ I felt emotional hearing that back on the listening parties, because I think it’s very vulnerable – but it’s quite honest.”
Other singles—“Kairos” and “Echoes”—continue the exploration of time. “Kairos” examines the Greek distinction between chronological time (Kronos) and the opportune moment (Kairos). Misch said, “Kairos means the opportune moment or it’s a new way of looking at time. It’s a Greek word. Kronos time is chronological time and kairos time is non‑linear time. I found it a really interesting word, because it’s like when we hold a stone, for example, we’re holding the stone in the present, but its also got the whole of history and this stone it’s been on this deep time journey.” “Echoes” looks forward to future generations, drawing on a book by David George Haskell about the evolution of sound before the emergence of animals. Misch explained that the song was also inspired by a friend’s baby crawling on the floor, prompting her to wonder what sounds the child will hear in the next hundred years.
Misch recently returned from a listening‑tour in Paris and Amsterdam, where she played Lithic in its entirety on different sound systems. She said, “It was really special. I think I felt so grateful to be able to hear the record on these different sound systems, which, obviously, felt different in different spaces and with different kind of low end, some quite sub‑y systems, and then some more crystal clear systems and also just to listen through with people from start to finish in silence.” The artist highlighted the ritualistic nature of a full‑album listening session, noting that it is “quite moving” for both herself and the audience.
In addition to the album, Misch is scheduled to headline a show at the Barbican Centre in London on 3 July. She described the venue as “very exciting” because of its acoustics and amphitheatre‑style seating, which she believes encourages deep listening. Misch said she will perform the album live with a band, re‑imagining the field‑recorded material for the stage.
Misch’s brother, Tom Misch, has recently released a song titled “Sisters With Me,” dedicated to Laura and their sister. Tom described the track as “very sweet” and “quite emotional,” reflecting on family memories.
Following the Barbican performance, Laura Misch will embark on a European tour in September, covering new destinations such as Poland, Italy, and Spain. She expressed enthusiasm for sharing Lithic in these venues.
Lithic is available on all major streaming platforms and can be purchased through Misch’s official website. The album’s release has been accompanied by a series of listening events and a forthcoming tour, positioning Misch as a key figure in contemporary experimental music that blends field recording, saxophone, and electronic manipulation.
Lithic was captured live in a series of natural sites—caves, quarries, cliffs—where Misch’s saxophone was layered with field‑recorded sounds and then processed through electronics. The low‑end of the record is shaped by stone and water, giving the music a palpable sense of place.
The recording process, Misch said, was “very magical” and “quite intense.” She recalled how the unpredictable weather in Cornwall and Hydra turned sessions into a scramble: “I was doing a lot of the recording outside and in caves and quarries and we have quite bad storms so the weather… sometimes you’ve got your recording gear and your zoom and you’re scrambling down a cliff.”
Thematically, Lithic explores the concept of deep time. Misch cites sculptor Barbara Hepworth and painter Georgia O’Keeffe as inspirations for thinking about long‑term artistic processes. She mused, “I am really interested in how artists have this long timespan with their work, because we are so obsessed with newness and these short careers, but what’s a music career of 80 or 90 years? What does that look like?” The title Lithic—meaning stone—echoes that idea of enduring material.
The album’s lead single, “Shell,” is a personal reflection on mental health. Misch explained that the track began as a saxophone riff that was later taken over by a cello. “In ‘Shell’, I talk about the struggle I have a lot of the time with mental health and it talks about: ‘I spin out on a daily / A spiralling shell / Searching for somewhere to rest and unfurl.’ I felt emotional hearing that back on the listening parties, because I think it’s very vulnerable – but it’s quite honest.”
Other singles—“Kairos” and “Echoes”—continue the exploration of time. “Kairos” examines the Greek distinction between chronological time (Kronos) and the opportune moment (Kairos). Misch said, “Kairos means the opportune moment or it’s a new way of looking at time. It’s a Greek word. Kronos time is chronological time and kairos time is non‑linear time. I found it a really interesting word, because it’s like when we hold a stone, for example, we’re holding the stone in the present, but its also got the whole of history and this stone it’s been on this deep time journey.” “Echoes” looks forward to future generations, drawing on a book by David George Haskell about the evolution of sound before the emergence of animals. Misch explained that the song was also inspired by a friend’s baby crawling on the floor, prompting her to wonder what sounds the child will hear in the next hundred years.
Misch recently returned from a listening‑tour in Paris and Amsterdam, where she played Lithic in its entirety on different sound systems. She said, “It was really special. I think I felt so grateful to be able to hear the record on these different sound systems, which, obviously, felt different in different spaces and with different kind of low end, some quite sub‑y systems, and then some more crystal clear systems and also just to listen through with people from start to finish in silence.” The artist highlighted the ritualistic nature of a full‑album listening session, noting that it is “quite moving” for both herself and the audience.
In addition to the album, Misch is scheduled to headline a show at the Barbican Centre in London on 3 July. She described the venue as “very exciting” because of its acoustics and amphitheatre‑style seating, which she believes encourages deep listening. Misch said she will perform the album live with a band, re‑imagining the field‑recorded material for the stage.
Misch’s brother, Tom Misch, has recently released a song titled “Sisters With Me,” dedicated to Laura and their sister. Tom described the track as “very sweet” and “quite emotional,” reflecting on family memories.
Following the Barbican performance, Laura Misch will embark on a European tour in September, covering new destinations such as Poland, Italy, and Spain. She expressed enthusiasm for sharing Lithic in these venues.
Lithic is available on all major streaming platforms and can be purchased through Misch’s official website. The album’s release has been accompanied by a series of listening events and a forthcoming tour, positioning Misch as a key figure in contemporary experimental music that blends field recording, saxophone, and electronic manipulation.
