East Durham music outfit The Woven Project excited to release first EP in 12 years recorded in Hartlepool

The Woven Project released their first EP back in July 2011 and racked up over 150 performances at gigs and on the festival circuit and widespread radio airplay.

In 2013, following a series of life’s curveballs, the East Durham outfit, who describe their musical style as lo-fi acoustic/electronica experimental, took a five-year hiatus.

The original core of Brian Barnes and Brian Batey, joined by a number of contributing talented local singers and musicians, have recently been back in the recording studio.

Their new six song EP Let Beautiful In, recorded at The Studio, in Hartlepool, will be released in May.

The first single taken from it, titled 44, was released on Friday, March 10, and is the first release under Shy Bairn Records.

Brian Barnes, 54, said: “The EP is a like a little journey through our history.

“There are a couple of old songs that we have dusted off and polished up and a couple of new ones.”

44 features words from a self-written poem about “the embers of a waning relationship”, written 12 years ago, that has been reimagined.

The two Brians called on some a number of skilled local musicians to add their own flavour to the EP and deliver those Woven staples with added electronica.

Contributing artists include 16-year-old Jasmine Weatherill with additional vocals, Hartlepool master jeweller Mark Lloyd on drums, Ed Leighton on bass guitar with the tracks produced and mixed by Mark Folland.

Brian, who is digital marketing manager at Hartlepool College, added: "We are proud of these songs and we hope you enjoy listening to them as much as we enjoyed creating and recording them.”

He and Brian Batey started out as a duo called simply Woven in early 2009 after rehearsing covers for a friend’s birthday party that never happened.

A further single Let Beautiful In – the title track from their new EP – will be released on March 31.

They have also been offered spots at two festivals this summer, including one close to home.

The single 44 is available on all major streaming platforms and physical copies of the EP will be available in the summer.

For more details, see The Woven Project on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.