Charlie Flood shares his debut single, “Moonshine/ Valborg”
With the unveiling of his new project under the moniker Charlie Flood, Montreal’s Charles Cockburn has cleverly entered the North American indie/folk scene.
“Moonshine/Valborg” was recorded entirely at Emmanuel Alias’ Fuzzy Pete studio, which co-produced and mixed it. The song is marked by the fresh wind that accompanies the coming of spring, a sign of renewal bringing hope and freedom. Composed of two distinct parts, this first song is a hymn to the arrival of good weather from two different perspectives: The first part seeks to represent the anticipation of an upcoming adventure, the desire to want to pack up and hit the road in search of discoveries. The end of one era and the beginning of another. The second part is a breath of fresh air that lowers the tension. Spring sets in and gives a foretaste of the summer to come. The theme revolves around the celebration of Valborg, the traditional Swedish spring festival filled with bonfires and promises of warm weather and midnight sun.
The song is inhabited by the singer’s experiences and the relationships he still has with his loved ones left behind in Europe. Despite the vibrant nature of the song, there is a slight touch of nostalgia about the impossible challenge of being in three countries at the same time.
Along with the release, an accompanying video was released in collaboration with Sebastian Malte Carlsson from Sweden, a long-time friend of the artist, who has been signing the artistic photography for Charles’ projects since 2012. The images were shot on Super 8mm in the early 2010s in Berlin, Paris, and Malmö. Now, ten years later, they have been dusted off and compiled to illustrate the story of Moonshine/Valbor.
The video features several friends, acquaintances, and collaborators met during the last decade, but also some symbolic places like the Möllan square in the heart of Malmö, as well as the sunny parks of this city. The video is a will to turn the page on a chapter of life and to open the door to new adventures of Charlie Flood.
Review
“Moonshine/ Valborg” is a captivating folk track that celebrates the joy and freedom that warmer weather brings. The lyrics vividly portray the act of stepping outside, embracing nature, and embarking on an adventure.
The repetition of “Breath it in, breath it out” during the chorus serves as a mantra inviting the listener to fully immerse themselves in the present moment, savoring the sensations of summer and finding comfort in the pure act of inhaling and exhaling, appreciating the gift of life itself.
Charles’ vocals are delivered with a warm and earnest tone, capturing the essence of longing, hope, and adventure, while perfectly intertwining with the relaxed, twinkling instrumentation.
Listen to “Moonshine/ Valborg” below and learn more about Charlie Flood via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I’ve always categorized myself as a Folk musician, but I come from quite a mixed rock/alternative background. Originally from Montreal, although, I spent 7 years living abroad in both Sweden and the UK which led me on a few different life paths. The one thing that always remained linear was my involvement in music. Since moving back to Montreal a few years ago, I started to write again, piling up tunes and a strong feeling of wanting to share these songs grew and that was the beginning of my first solo project.
I say solo, but there are a few key players in this project whom I’m endlessly thankful for lending me their talent and support to make this happen. It all started with building Fuzzy Pete Studio in 2022 in the basement of my friend Emmanuel Alias’s (ALIAS) together with Thomas Léger (Valse Frequency).
Jean-Baptiste Beltra (Welcome John) and Vincent Khouni (Double Date with Death) would stop by to help out (or maybe just have a beer). I guess it’s hard to be surrounded by such top musicians and not feel inspired.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
“Moonshine/Valborg” embodies the coming of springtime and early summer that follows the blues of the long winter. A hymn to the arrival of good weather, in two parts. Highlighting the end of an era and the beginning of a fresh new one. The long-awaited breath of fresh air when springtime hits you in the face. It evacuates the tension. The theme revolves around the celebration of Valborg, a traditional Swedish springtime event filled with bonfires and promises of warmer days to come.
The song is also a moment of mind wandering, a daydream about the people my wife and I left behind when we moved here. A feel of bittersweet nostalgia, derived from the impossible task of being in three countries all at the same time.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
People, places, and situations around me are almost always in my mind when I write. Anything and everything that has an impact on me. The good and the bad. I’ve had quite a few life-changing situations to draw from. The passing away of people close to me also has a deep impact on me, but not necessarily in a dark or negative way.
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
The goal is to have a few shows before the album comes out, but for now, I’m focusing on recording and finishing this album first to have something exciting for the crowd.
What’s your goal for 2023?
To release my second single that will be ready for your ears towards the end of this summer, and of course, to finish the album which I optimistically say should be ready and out in 2024.