Marking 125 years since her distant cousin, Sir Ernest Shackleton, set sail on the RRS Discovery, acclaimed violinist and songwriter Georgia Shackleton has announced her evocative new album, From the Floorboards, set for release on February 27th. This project is a profound sonic voyage that bridges the gap between the golden age of polar exploration and the fragile beauty of our modern marine environments.
At the heart of the album is the extraordinary Shackleton Violin, crafted by luthier Steve Burnett from the floorboards of the explorer’s former Edinburgh home. To capture the true spirit of the sea, Georgia also utilised the Il Mare Violin and Orca Viola—instruments carved from reclaimed driftwood. Together, this family of instruments provides a resonant, woody voice that serves as a literal time capsule of the Shackleton legacy.
To celebrate the announcement, Georgia has shared a live performance of the lead single, “Ice King,” recorded appropriately aboard the historic RRS Discovery. The song’s history is as gripping as its melody; the lyrics were originally written by John Morrison, the chief engineer of the relief vessel The Morning. Georgia shares:
The Ice King was written by John Morrison and his crew mates a week after The Morning departed from the Discovery. Captain Scott had ordered the relief vessel back to New Zealand to prevent her from becoming trapped in the ice alongside The Discovery. The “Discoverers” were left to face the long Antarctic winter, waiting for The Morning to return the following spring with fresh supplies, and the welcome company of their newfound friends. I have composed my own melody to the song.
The album blends inventive songwriting with the grit of maritime history. Listeners are invited to traverse icy seas and hidden rockpools, encountering the subtle dramas of the natural world.
This new work follows the critical success of her 2023 solo debut, Harry’s Seagull. Writing for KLOF Mag, Thomas Blake praised that debut for showing “just how invigorating traditional music can be,” describing it as “one of the freshest and most appealing folk albums of the year.”
While Harry’s Seagull was a love letter to East Anglia, From the Floorboards is universal in its reach—an act of remembrance and a vital voice for our struggling seas.
Source: klofmag.com