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Following in her well-established tradition of being inspired to compose by locations to which she has a strong personal connection, Melissa Parmenter releases her new EP North Sea. The catalyst for her creativity this time was a Covid-era move to Norfolk, where the coast’s stunning beaches gave her the solace she was seeking. “I was struck by the stark contrast between the silence, peace and tranquillity of the countryside and coast around us and the chaos and tragedy of the pandemic spreading across the country. The weather during that first lockdown was also unusually warm and sunny, which made the contrast even more affecting - as if nature was speaking to us,” she says. Written entirely by Parmenter in a cottage in Norfolk, making use of an outhouse as her makeshift studio and embracing her surroundings, she penned five brand-new pieces, partnering again with Escott. North Sea brings together her deep and uplifting melodies with the grace and faculty of his cello. Using her love of moving images alongside her ability to tell stories through her music, Parmenter creates a world that surrounds the audience and evokes the nature of the regions and moments from which she gleans her inspiration and which are the source of her creativity. “Through the music, I wanted to capture the feelings I felt in that first chapter of the pandemic. The contrast between the stillness of lockdown, the solitude and the quiet and the chaos elsewhere reminded me of the sea. The sea that shows its strength and power, but also presents us at times with peace and calmness.” - Melissa Parmenter