German dark folk trio Ephemeral premiere new single and music video »Skylarks« taken from split EP with Domhain; out this Friday via These Hands Melt!

German dark folk trio Ephemeral premiere new single and music video »Skylarks« taken from their split EP with Northern Irish atmospheric project Domhain, entitled »Of Pine And Oak«, set to release this Friday, May 16th, 2025 via These Hands Melt.

Tracklist:
01. Ephemeral – Skylarks
02. Domhain – Footsteps

Ephemeral comments: “Our new single »Skylarks« is now out on YouTube and on all streaming platforms!

The song is about being inspired, by the nature that surrounds us and that we’re a part of. It is about looking inside and returning to our roots. And about any form of artistic creation – be it music, poetry, visual art or dance – enabling us to “fly”.

The music video features the breathtaking performance of contemporary dancer Rosa Faerber – we couldn’t thank her more for her time and her invaluable creative input. We’d also like to thank our dear friend and sound engineer Chris Stapff for sparking the collaboration with Rosa, co-directing the video and for his camera work. And a very special thanks to our awesome guest musicians Caroline Salmona (violin) and Nectaria Delgadillo (cello) for recording the beautiful strings.

The track was recorded, mixed and mastered by our multi-talented Nikolaus Jira who also co-directed, filmed and edited the video.”

Ephemeral (Photo by Daniel Herold)

Courtesy of 3nation PR:

German dark folk trio Ephemeral have unveiled their new single and accompanying music video, »Skylarks«. The track is featured on the band’s upcoming two-song split EP, »Of Pine And Oak«, a collaboration with Northern Irish atmospheric project Domhain, set for release on 16th May via These Hands Melt.

Watch the »Skylarks« video HERE.

»Skylarks« offers listeners a deep dive into Ephemeral’s signature blend of melancholic folk and progressive elements, weaving together acoustic instrumentation and evocative vocals. The band shared their thoughts on the inspiration behind the song and video:

»Skylarks« is about being inspired, both by the nature that surrounds us and that we’re a part of, and by past cultures. It’s about the various forms of inspiration we can tap into by returning to our roots, and about any form of artistic creation – music, poetry, visual art, dance – enabling us to “fly”, or to flee from the “busy hive” of our day-to-day thoughts and lives… For the video, contemporary dancer Rosa Faerber interpreted the song and its lyrical themes, adding a stunning visual dimension to the song.”

The »Of Pine And Oak« split EP sees both Domhain and Ephemeral contributing one brand new track each, exploring vividly naturalistic, acoustic soundscapes that evoke an extraordinary sense of quiet and ethereal melancholy. »Skylarks« follows Domhain’s recent single »Footsteps« and continues the collaborative spirit between the two These Hands Melt label mates.

The EP will be available digitally and as a limited edition (200 copies) 12″ single-sided colour vinyl.

Pre-order the »Of Pine And Oak« EP via the record label’s webstore HERE.

Hailing from Northern Ireland, Domhain is a new project formed by four experienced musicians from the Irish metal scene. Their sound is an emotional blend of post-black, blackgaze, and atmospheric black metal. Their debut mini-album »Nimue«, released in October 2023 by These Hands Melt, featured guest cello by Jo Quail and was recorded at Foel Studio with Chris Fielding (Conan, Primordial). Each of the three tracks on »Nimue« was accompanied by a conceptual music video created by the band’s drummer and visual director, Anaïs Chareyre-Méjan.

Domhain (Photo by Keery Irvine)

Ephemeral is a dark folk trio from Würzburg, Germany, formed in 2019 by Ella Zlotos, Nikolaus Jira, and Patrick Maiwald. Their music creates a unique blend of melancholic folk with progressive elements, incorporating flutes, whistles, guitars, keyboard instruments, percussion, and strings, all topped with sung and spoken-word vocals. Their lyrics draw inspiration from English literature, exploring themes of longing, growth, transience, and new beginnings.

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well