Halkyn - self titled

Halkyn
self titled
Concentric Circles
UK/USA, 2026
LP

Concentric Circles knows where all the treasure is buried. The label’s most recent unearthing compiles two scarce 7”s along with a few compilation and unreleased tracks by Chris Coyle as Halkyn. Coyle was a sometime member of the group Empress out of Leeds, UK, who themselves shared members with Boyracer and the iconic post-rock outfit Hood. Part of the pleasure of this release has been the occasion to dig into Empress’s back catalogue, which is very worthy of your time.

Halkyn casts its own soft spell. The music is alternately dazed and limpid, crystalline acoustic tones changing hands with lo-fi four-track tape hiss like a woolen blanket on a chilly morning paddle in a canoe. It’s cold, it’s comforting, but it’s not cold comfort. It’s one to linger with from day to day.



FROM THE LABEL:

Concentric Circles is pleased to present a collection of recordings from Halkyn, the solo project of Chris Coyle, most known for being a member of much beloved Leeds, UK group Empress. Halkyn released two 7”s around the turn of the century on the 555 label, which have, like a lot of the best music from that time, fallen somewhat by the wayside. This LP release collects both of those 7”s, along with a few tracks that originally appeared on compilations, and two unreleased recordings from the time.

Halkyn was part of a small non-scene of sorts in Leeds that included Hood and Empress, which collectively was a small group of friends who appeared on each others records, with Hood acting as somewhat of an anchor. In addition, they all shared a similar knack for writing beautifully melancholic music, with an occasional foray into electronic abstraction that still remained approachable. Halkyn’s music was imbued with a glass-like sense of fragility, sometimes feeling like it’s on the verge of collapse, but Coyle, being a master of melody, always rooted his tracks back down into the earth. This is music for slow, grey skied walks in the countryside.

Halkyn has remained a lesser known name from that special time in music, but we hope that this LP, released in an edition of 300 copies with beautiful jacket photography from Coyle himself, will help put his name on the map where he belongs.