HUW COSTIN / TORN SAIL

Huw Costin, a fixture of the Nottingham music scene for nearly three decades.

At heart Costin is a singer-songwriter inspired by the greats - Roy Harper, John Martyn, Lucinda Williams & Joni Mitchell, but with a bent for sonic experimentation and a wilful acceptance of a promiscuous muse. He first gained recognition when between 1988 and 2005 he fronted a band eventually known as Earth the Californian Love Dream. Costin then moved on to release two solo albums – Regrets (2009), Something/Nothing (2013) and an EP – Nutshell (2017), all the while recording with artists from a range of musical territories, including Mark Lanegan (RIP), Michael Chapman (RIP), Andre Lodemann, Stubb, Smith & Mudd and BJ Smith. Costin is also a member of ‘geography-folk’ band The Low Drift, plays guitar in JIM (Jim Baron of Crazy P’s solo venture) and works closely with E.R. Thorpe (also of The Low Drift), including on her new album “Human Love”.

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His focus now and in recent years has been his band - Torn Sail. Followingthe critically acclaimed releases “This Short Sweet Life” (2017) and “Leisure & Technology” (2020), most recent album “Steady Weather” (2025) presents a more refined and layered sound, yet still retains the emotive depth and exploratory spirit that has always defined Torn Sail’s work. With “Steady Weather” - Costin, Torn Sail’s front man and primary songwriter, continues his poignant explorations of human experience, touching on themes that range from the deeply personal to the socially conscious. Songs reflect on how the essentially positive nature of humanity has the power to transcend all kinds of borders, the connection between landscape, memory, and family, the passage of time, aging, and the beauty found in simple domestic moments.

The playlist below is a representation of some of the music in the artists catalogue.