Last year’s introduction observed that the global pandemic had seen the flourishing of streaming settings of Blake’s works, particularly for individual artists who clearly turned to music as a creative release from the stresses caused by COVID. Indeed, the list for 2020 recorded more new releases than that for 2019, but, by concentrating on the services provided by Amazon, Apple, and Spotify, it did not account for a wealth of independent productions that were released on Bandcamp and SoundCloud. As such, half of this year’s list consists of tracks and albums from 2020, thanks to the research of Camila Oliveira. In future, we shall include more independent artists, many of whom embody Blake’s creative ethos more thoroughly than established musicians and songwriters.
The majority of releases during 2021, as well as those that were independently released in 2020, are settings of a single poem, with “The Tyger” and “The Sick Rose” being among the most popular. Nevertheless, there are several albums or extended collections of Blake-inspired music that deserve special mention. Yann Lecollaire’s compositions on The States of the Human Soul, with vocal arrangements by Sarah Klenes, are especially beautiful and haunting, while John Pope and John Garner’s highly experimental collection Judas is an original sound meditation on “On Anothers Sorrow.” Interestingly, we have come across a number of songs in which Blake himself is the theme; the cult of personality seems stronger than ever and merits a separate publication and study. We have also included settings inspired by Blake’s visual work, as is the case with the blues track “The Glad Day” by the American duo Vaca Sagrada.
As in previous versions, this list omits tracks that are based on a single quotation from or allusion to Blake’s work. Wherever possible, the country of the artist is given, as well as the work’s instrumentation, duration, publisher, copyright date, genre, and format. Most entries include at least one link to a recording.
48 Cameras with Edward Ka-Spel — Belgium
Songs from the Marriage of Heaven & Hell; for voice, synthesizers.
00:14:16. Interzone, © 2019. Dark ambient. CD/streaming.
Tracks: 1. The Voice of the Devil; 2. A Memorable Fancy #1; 3. The Wedding; 4. A Memorable Fancy #2; 5. The Divorce.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Albinotron — USA
From
Arthropoda Insecta; for guitar, synthesizers.
00:02:01. Independent, © 2020. Electronic/dark ambient. Streaming.
Track: 11. Urizen.
Note: Instrumental.
Links:
Apple,
Bandcamp,
Spotify.
Argoal — France
The Chapel; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:02:06. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 1. The Chapel [“The Garden of Love”].
Link:
SoundCloud.
Argoal — France
The Garden of Love; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:03:48. Independent, © 2021. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 1. The Garden of Love.
Note: This version is different from “The Chapel,” listed above.
Link:
SoundCloud.
Argoal — France
Hear the Voice; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:02:52. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 1. Hear the Voice.
Link:
SoundCloud.
Argoal — France
Nurse’s Song; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:02:48. Independent, © 2019. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 1. Nurse’s Song [
Experience].
Link:
SoundCloud.
Argoal — France
The Voice of the Ancient Bard; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:03:10. Independent, © 2019. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 1. The Voice of the Ancient Bard.
Link:
SoundCloud.
Bag, August — UK
Four Selected Poems by William Blake; for voice, guitar.
00:07:38. Independent, © 2021. Folk. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Nurse’s Song (Sons of Industries); 2. London; 3. Introduction to the
Songs of Innocence; 4. Merry, Merry Sparrow.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Barkoskie, Alvez, IV — USA
Little Lamb; for voice, orchestra.
00:04:39. Independent, © 2021. Classical. Streaming.
Track: 1. Little Lamb.
Link:
SoundCloud.
Berta & Nico — Spain
Canciones de Experiencia; for voice, guitar.
00:11:51. Independent, © 2021. Folk/indie. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Preámbulo; 2. Introducción; 3. La mosca; 4. Mi bello rosal; 5. Oh girasol; 6. La rosa enferma; 7. El lírio; 8. La voz del antiguo bardo.
Note: Poems translated into Spanish.
Link:
SoundCloud.
Blake — USA
Songs of Innocence and of Experience; for voice, guitar, drums, keyboards.
00:22:42. Independent, © 2020–21. Folk/indie. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Night; 2. Nurse’s Song; 3. Garden of Love; 4. A Dream; 5. On Another’s Sorrow.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Bourdon, Benoit — France
My William Blake Song Book; for voice, guitar, strings.
00:24:35. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. The Sick Rose; 2. Infant Joy; 3. The Cradle Song; 4. Laughing Song; 5. On Another’s Sorrow.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Bromide, Simon — UK
From
Following the Moon; for voice, guitar, electronics.
00:03:54. Piccadilly Records, © 2021. Rock. CD/streaming.
Track: 9. Earth’s Answer.
Links:
Apple,
Spotify.
The Canal — Czech Republic/Panama
From
Transatlantic P(h)o(n)em Session; for voice, guitar, drums, synthesizers.
00:04:09. Blue Lizard Records, © 2020. Electronic/dark ambient. Streaming.
Track: 12. The Angel (William Blake).
Note: The track was first released on an
EP in 2013.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Cowp — USA
From
Heal the People, Heal the Land; for guitar, synthesizers.
00:06:01. A Beautiful Idea, © 2020. Electronic/dark ambient. Streaming.
Track: 21. Ah Sun Flower.
Note: This is an instrumental setting of Blake’s poem.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Crawl across the Sky — USA
From
The Void Alone; for voice, guitar, bass, drums.
00:03:33. Independent, © 2020. Black metal. Streaming.
Track: 22. Telos II: The Human Abstract.
Links:
Amazon,
Spotify.
Darshan Ambient — USA
From
A Day like Any Other ; for guitar, synthesizers.
00:06:57. Brain Laughter, © 2020. New age. Streaming.
Tracks: 2. Ah! Sunflower; 3. The Echoing Green.
Note: These are instrumental settings of Blake’s poems.
Links:
Bandcamp,
Spotify.
De Vico, Remo — Italy
Garden of Love; for voice, drums, synthesizers.
00:03:01. Independent, © 2021. Experimental/electronic. Streaming.
Track: 1. Garden of Love.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Dog Age — Norway
From
Like Some Bacon in the Night; for voice, guitar, bass, drums.
00:03:24. Voices of Wonder Records, © 2021. Rock. Streaming.
Track: 5. A Poison Tree.
Links:
Amazon,
Apple,
Spotify.
Dreams of December — Brazil
From
Ashes of a Decadent Life; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:04:28. Independent, © 2021. Post black metal. Streaming.
Track: 3. The Human Abstract (William Blake, 1794).
Link:
Spotify.
Fontana Re:Mix — Sweden
From
Traces of Time; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:03:09. Bauta Records, © 2021. Progressive rock/free jazz. CD/streaming.
Track: 3. French Revolution.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Golem Mecanique — France
Oracle; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:23:00. Independent, © 2021. Dark ambient. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Daughters of Albion; 2. Urizen.
Notes: The songs are inspired by Blake’s prophetic books. They are instrumental tracks with vocalization.
Link:
Bandcamp.
G.rag — Germany
From
No Poetry; for voice, guitar, bass.
00:03:44. Independent, © 2020. Alternative punk/alternative. Streaming.
Track: 27. William Blake.
Note: Inspired by Blake’s poetry.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Greenhill, Mitch — USA
Blues of an Ancient Bard; for voice, guitars, flutes.
00:41:33. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Youth of Delight Come Hither; 2. The Nurse’s Song; 3. Mary Part 1; 4. The Tyger; 5. Mary Part 2; 6. Cradle Song; 7. Albion Turned Away; 8. The Garden of Love; 9. Mary Part 3; 10. Hear the Voice of the Bard/Earth’s Answer; 11. JArusalem; 12. JerusalAnthem.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Hagenberg, Elaine — USA
Tyger ; for voice (SATB), piano.
00:01:58. Independent, © 2021. Classical. Streaming.
Track: 1. Tyger.
Links:
Elaine Hagenberg Music,
SoundCloud.
Hemmelig — Finland
From
First to Fall; for electronics.
00:03:42. Independent, © 2021. Electronic/dark ambient. Streaming.
Track: 2. The Human Abstract.
Note: This is an instrumental setting of Blake’s poem.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Higgins, Michael — UK
The Garden of Love; for piano, organ.
00:01:42. Independent, © 2021. World music. Streaming.
Track: 1. The Garden of Love.
Note: This is an instrumental setting of Blake’s poem.
Link:
SoundCloud.
Howard, Paul — UK
From
Spirit Songs: The Best of Paul Howard, Vol. 1; for voice, guitar.
00:06:17. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming.
Tracks: 5. London; 9. The Echoing Green.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Jacquot, Nicolas — France
From
Ordered Ordinaries; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers.
00:08:34. Independent, © 2020. Electronic/experimental. Streaming.
Track: 1. Antimanifesto [excerpts from
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell in French].
Link:
Bandcamp.
Köster, Frederik, and Die Verwandlung — Germany
From
Golden Age; for voice, piano, drums, bass, saxophone.
00:07:31. Traumton Records, © 2020. Jazz. CD/streaming.
Track: 9. (To the) Evening Star.
Link:
Spotify.
Lahr, Barbara — Germany
From
Kintsugi; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, brass.
00:05:25. Phazz-a-delic, © 2021. Jazz/pop. CD/streaming.
Track: 5. The Tyger.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Lecollaire, Yann — France
The States of the Human Soul; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:37:33. Thödol Records, © 2020. Pop/experimental. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Memory Song [“Memory, hither come”]; 2. To Autumn; 3. The Sick Rose; 4. Love Song [“Love and harmony combine”]; 5. London; 6. Introduction [
Innocence]; 7. The Fly; 8. Mad Song; 9. Vale Song [“When early morn walks forth in sober grey”].
Link:
Bandcamp.
Lieutenant Caramel — France
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell; for voice, guitar, bass, synthesizers.
00:54:58. Independent, © 2020. Electronic. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. The Burdened Air; 2. Evil Is Hell; 3. Des Anges à ma fenêtre; 4. L’homme-Dragon; 5. Les géants dévoreurs.
Note: Inspired by the “Proverbs of Hell” and “A Memorable Fancy” from Blake’s
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Mahalia — Italy
From
Nomade 1992–2020; for voice, accordion, strings.
00:07:11. Dar Soltane, © 2021. Pop/world music. Streaming.
Tracks: 7. The Little Boy Found; 13. The Garden of Love.
Links:
Amazon,
Apple,
Spotify.
Makabe, Emi — Japan/USA
From
Anniversary; for voice, guitar, bass, drums.
00:05:40. Greenleaf Music, © 2020. Jazz. CD/streaming.
Track: 3. Chimney Sweeper.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Martin X — Russia
From
Crapulous Classics; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers.
00:05:02. Independent, © 2020. Alternative rock/electronic. Streaming.
Track: 9. Piping down the Valleys Wild.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Mel from Melbourne — Australia
William Blake Remixed; for voice, guitars, synthesizers.
00:01:53. Independent, © 2020. Folk/electronic. Streaming.
Track: 1. William Blake Remixed.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Mighty Gravillons — Switzerland
From
Some Are Born; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:05:04. Independent, © 2021. Reggae. Streaming.
Track: 1. Some Are Born [excerpts from “Auguries of Innocence”].
Link:
Bandcamp.
Park, Owain, and the Epiphoni Consort — UK
From
When Love Speaks: Choral Music by Owain Park; for voice, piano.
00:04:18. Delphian, © 2020. Classical. Streaming.
Track: 11. The Tyger.
Link:
SoundCloud.
Paterakis, Giorgos/String Theory — Greece
From
Gallery Dramaton; for voice, piano.
00:07:21. Independent, © 2020. Experimental. Streaming.
Tracks: 5. The Frozen Marriage Bed [setting of
Visions of the Daughters of Albion]; 9. The Chimney Sweeper.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Paterikon — USA
William Blake Is Doomed; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:18:15. Independent, © 2021. Doom metal. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. To Tirzah; 2. London; 3. The Tyger; 4. The Clod and the Pebble; 5. The Voice of the Ancient Bard.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Perfect Blue — USA
From
Respect Existence or Expect Resistance; for guitar, synthesizers.
00:03:07. Independent, © 2020. Electronic/dark ambient. Streaming.
Track: 12. Song of Urizen.
Note: Instrumental.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Pope, John, and John Garner — UK
Judas; for keyboards, strings, electronics.
00:49:20. Independent, © 2022. Avant-garde. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Can I see anothers woe; 2. And not be in sorrow too; 3. Can I see anothers grief; 4. And not seek for kind relief; 5. Can a mother sit and hear; 6. An infant groan an infant fear—; 7. No no never can it be; 8. Never never can it be.
Note: This is a highly experimental instrumental response to “On Anothers Sorrow.”
Link:
Bandcamp.
Pyrroline — Germany
From
Struggling; for voice, drums, synthesizers.
00:05:51. Electro Aggression Records, © 2021. EBM/industrial. CD/streaming.
Track: 12. The Divine Image.
Link:
Spotify.
Rabe, Nils David — USA
Nils David Sings and Plays “The Wild Flowers Song”; for voice, guitar, flute, percussion.
00:00:51. Brownie Records, © 2021. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 1. The Wild Flowers Song.
Link:
SoundCloud.
Rahel Acoustic Breezes — USA/Israel/South Korea
From
Alice, Where Are You Going? ; for voice, synthesizers.
00:00:55. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 7. Infant Joy.
Link:
Bandcamp.
The Secret Experiment — UK
From
V. II; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.
00:04:57. Independent, © 2021. Post-punk/darkwave. Streaming.
Track: 2. A Poison Tree.
Note: The words are from “Auguries of Innocence.”
Link:
Bandcamp.
Shydays — USA
William Blake Words; for voice, synthesizers.
00:02:03. Independent, © 2020. Experimental/ambient. Streaming.
Track: 1. William Blake Words.
Notes: Inspired by Blake.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Siamois Synthesis — Canada
From
Feu aimant; for guitar, drums, synthesizers.
00:10:23. Independent, © 2020. Electronic/dark ambient. Streaming.
Track: 6. Urizen.
Note: This is an instrumental setting inspired by Blake’s poetry.
Links:
Bandcamp,
Spotify.
Sideshow Tom — Syria
From
A Manic Tape from a Basement; for voice, guitar.
00:04:30. Independent, © 2020. Folk/indie. Streaming.
Track: 6. To William Blake.
Note: Inspired by Blake’s poetry.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Singapore Police Background — UK
From
Singapore Police Background; for synthesizers.
00:05:33. Steep Gloss, © 2021. Industrial/experimental. Streaming.
Track: 2. Urizen.
Note: Instrumental.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Tarbox, Michael — USA
From
Paler Suns; for voice, guitar.
00:01:18. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 1. Ah! Sunflower.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Taylor, Terry Scott — USA
From
Bedroom Demos, Vol. 35; for voice, guitars.
00:04:45. Independent, © 2020. Folk. Streaming.
Track: 4. William Blake.
Note: Words adapted from “The Tyger” and other poems.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Techno Thriller — Belgium
From
Decameron; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers.
00:03:01. Teenage Menopause Records, © 2020. Alternative/metal. CD/streaming.
Track: 3. Jeudi Saint [“Holy Thursday,”
Experience].
Link:
Spotify.
This Is the Bridge — UK
From
Songs from a Dead England; for voice, guitar, bass, percussion.
00:04:53. Independent, © 2020. Post-punk. CD/streaming.
Track: 3. Dead England.
Note: Lyrics adapted from “Auguries of Innocence.”
Link:
Bandcamp.
Trans-Neptunian Colonists — USA
From
Albion; for synthesizers.
01:00:16. Independent, © 2021. Dark ambient. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Urizen; 2. Tharmas; 3. Luvah/Orc; 4. Urthona/Los; 6. Emanations; 7. Vala; 8. Dirge of Eno; 9. Then Fell the Fires of Eternity; 10. The Departure of Dark Religion; 11. Enion; 12. Enitharmon; 13. Ahania; 14. Albion City.
Note: All tracks are instrumental.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Tsantsa — Sweden
Love’s Secret; for synthesizers.
00:28:51. Independent, © 2020. Industrial/dark ambient. Streaming.
Track: 1. Love’s Secret.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Vaca Sagrada — USA
From
One Eye Is the Sun, One Eye Is the Moon; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, brass.
00:05:01. Independent, © 2021. Rock/blues. Streaming.
Track: 6. The Glad Day.
Note: The track is inspired by the illustration “Glad Day.”
Link:
Bandcamp.
Van Vasey, Mark — UK
The Caterpillar and the Fly; for guitar, bass, celesta, cellos, voice.
00:20:08. Independent, © 2021. Avant-folk. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. The Garden of Love; 2. The Fly; 3. The Human Abstract; 4. The Blossom; 5. The Clod and the Pebble; 6. The Smile.
Link:
Bandcamp.
V.O.E.R. — Sweden
From
Subconscious Error ; for voice, electronics, synthesizers.
00:17:09. 4iB Records, © 2020. Industrial/experimental. Streaming.
Tracks: 5. The Garden of Eden; 6. A Garden of Flesh.
Note: Inspired by Blake’s prophetic books.
Link:
Bandcamp.
Wereju — Ireland
The Tree of Life and Death (
Part One); for voice, guitar, bass, synthesizers.
00:30:23. Independent, © 2020. Dark ambient. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Vegetative Eye (Part One); 2. Art Is the Tree of Life … Science Is the Tree of Death (Part One); 3. Vegetative Eye (Part Two).
Notes: Based on Blake’s prophetic books. All tracks are instrumental.
Link:
Discogs.
Wereju — Ireland
The Tree of Life and Death (
Part Two); for voice, guitar, bass, synthesizers.
00:27:27. Independent, © 2020. Dark ambient. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Vegetative Eye (Part Three); 2. Art Is the Tree of Life … Science Is the Tree of Death (Part Two); 3. Vegetative Eye (Part Four).
Notes: Based on Blake’s prophetic books. All tracks are instrumental.
Link:
Discogs.
Wereju — Ireland
The Tree of Life and Death (
Part Three); for voice, guitar, bass, synthesizers.
00:27:45. Independent, © 2020. Dark ambient. Streaming.
Tracks: 1. Vegetative Eye (Part Five); 2. Art Is the Tree of Life … Science Is the Tree of Death (Part Three); 3. Vegetative Eye (Part Six).
Notes: Based on Blake’s prophetic books. All tracks are instrumental.
Link:
Discogs.
Wilson, Kenny — UK
Auguries of Innocence (
William Blake); for voice, guitar, bass, keyboards.
00:13:21. Independent, © 2021. Alternative rock. Streaming.
Track: 1. Auguries of Innocence (William Blake).
Link:
SoundCloud.
Wisborg — Germany
From
The Tragedy of Seconds Gone; for voice, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers.
00:05:29. Danse Macabre, © 2018. Alternative rock/electronic. CD/streaming.
Track: 4. The Sick Rose.
Link:
Spotify.
Wyrm — USA
From
Wolfish Outlaws and Other Heathens; for voice, electronics.
00:05:04. 4iB Records, © 2021. Dark ambient. CD/streaming.
Track: 7. Voice of the Ancient Bard.
Link:
Bandcamp.