Production Portfolio
Like Nightingales in the Spring by Orkestra Shkodra (Oda 3, 2022)
As assistant producer with the collective Oda 3, I worked on this landmark album dedicated to the aheng tradition of Shkodra, a northern Albanian city celebrated for its vibrant musical life. Aheng is a form of urban celebration music with roots in Ottoman courtly styles, blending lyrical Albanian song with rich instrumental textures of violin, clarinet, accordion, lute, and percussion. The album brought together master musicians including Agim Molla (vocals), Mukades Çanga (vocals), Mustafe Jakupi Lulja (violin), alongside student and street musicians, capturing performances that had rarely been professionally recorded in this way. My work involved co-producing the sessions, liaising with musicians and engineers, and supporting the shaping of the final sound and presentation.
The result was widely praised, receiving a 5-star review from Songlines and leading to Orkestra Shkodra’s nomination for Best Group at the Songlines Music Awards 2024.
Alongside my work as a performer, I am deeply engaged as a producer of traditional and contemporary folk music, with projects that bridge ethnomusicological research and creative production. My approach combines on-the-ground field recording with collaborative studio work, supporting artists in bringing their traditions to new audiences while preserving authenticity and context.
I have worked with the collective Oda 3 on acclaimed albums of Albanian urban folk music, and independently with ensembles such as Moonaroon, helping to shape their recorded sound and artistic identity. These projects reflect my commitment to documenting living traditions and to producing music that resonates both within its cultural roots and in a wider international landscape.
City of 1001 Windows by Pulse of Berat (Oda 3, 2023)
Following the Shkodra project, I continued as assistant producer for Oda 3’s work in Berat, a UNESCO World Heritage city famed for its Ottoman architecture and layered cultural history. This album focuses on Berat’s repertoire of urban folk songs, many of which are performed in multipart vocal harmony with accompaniment from violin, clarinet, accordion, and percussion. It features the extraordinary voice of Adhurim Demiri, alongside ensembles who have kept this tradition alive for generations. My role included coordinating recording sessions, helping to shape arrangements, and assisting in editing and mixing the final tracks.
The album was awarded 4 stars by Songlines, who praised its authenticity, warmth, and the vitality of its performances, highlighting the importance of preserving these repertoires for future generations.
Seeds by Moonaroon (Oda 3, 2023)
I produced and mixed the debut EP Seeds by Moonaroon, an Oxford-based folk ensemble combining Irish and English traditional music with original songwriting. The band - comprised of Joshua Newman (vocals, fiddle), Mitchell Keely (guitar, fiddle, bouzouki), Dom McGann (vocals, bodhrán) and Jack Evans (guitar, vocals) - brings together voices and instruments to create a fresh, energetic sound that bridges contemporary folk with timeless tradition. My production approach emphasised clarity and warmth, balancing the intimacy of acoustic textures with subtle layers that supported the group’s vocal harmonies and rhythmic drive. The result captures Moonaroon’s spirit as a new voice in the UK folk scene and has become a cornerstone of their live and recorded repertoire.
