Following their well-received fifth single, ‘Our Home’, Burr Island dropped their latest single, ‘Later’, on March 29th, 2024, through Left Foot Records. A duo rooted in the folk scene of London, Burr Island comprises best friends Tom England and Oskar Porter, earning commendations from industry luminaries including Robert Plant and Noel Gallagher. Their first four releases tallied 250,000 streams across various platforms, setting the stage for the imminent release of their debut album in 2024. Recorded at Kundalini Studios in Devon under the guidance of Steve Cradock, their singles found substantial airplay on esteemed radio stations such as BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, BBC Introducing, and Radio X. They’ve shared stages with the likes of Ocean Colour Scene, gracing iconic venues like Hammersmith Eventim Apollo and Barrowlands Ballroom. Drawing inspiration from legendary figures like Lennon/McCartney, Paul Simon, Crosby Stills & Nash, Nick Drake, The Beach Boys, and Cat Stevens, Burr Island has been likened to heartfelt indie folk acts of today such as Fleet Foxes, Flyte, and Kings of Convenience.
Sung in ethereal harmony by the duo, ‘Later’s lyrics delicately explore the poignant realization that accompanies life’s conclusion, pondering the essence of existence within our fleeting time. The gentle guitar strumming gracefully meanders through the composition like a tranquil brook, while Jess Cox’s strings—sweet, intricate, and emotive—deepen the emotional resonance of this tender track.
Burr Island revealed: “‘Later, you will understand how truly good these times have been’ is faintly scrawled at the bottom corner of a large abstract piece of art hanging up in the building that Oskar used to live in. So faint, you could easily miss it. We’re glad Oskar didn’t, as those words unravelled into the song you hear today. ’Later’ is about being in the last moments of one’s life, when ‘twilight is paper thin’, and to look back at a life unlived.”
Oskar added: “Around the same time I stumbled upon the hidden lyrics in the artwork, a friend of mine told me a personal story which I was incredibly struck by and that inspired us to write the rest of the song. When he was just eleven, his father had come home early from work, complaining of having chest pains. Hours later he had tragically died of a heart attack. What did he do in the last moments of his life? He started to confess. He confessed he had acted harshly and been cruel to people. I’ve often heard when one is at the end of their life, they can experience moments of true clarity, as if they are truly seeing for the first time. Hopefully this little song can be a reminder to us all to not wait until the moment of death to realise ‘how truly good these times have been’.”
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