I think it is reasonable to say that Jo Quail has crossed the divide between classical music and Metal in a way few, if any, other instrumentalists have done before. Unintentional, maybe, but her intoxicating way of crafting dark soundscapes that appeal to those who like music with edge and guile is now a firm favourite for many who inhabit the worlds of Wardruna, Eluvietie, Enslaved, and God Is An Astronaut. Quail has played with all these outfits, as well as numerous festivals over the past decade, which have wowed audiences.
Jo Quail – Notan
Release Date: 12 September 2025
Words: Paul Hutchings
For me, my first encounter with Jo Quail was disappointingly late, with Five Incantations in 2016, although my recollection is that it may have been 2019’s Damnation Festival where Jo delivered a jaw-dropping set to a packed room, which may have really cemented my interest.
I will admit to missing a couple of releases in between Five Incantations and 2022’s The Cartographer, about which I had the pleasure of interviewing her. A lovely, warm person to chat with, the latest work, Notan, now brings Jo back into the spotlight, and with a UK tour about to start, her name should be on people’s lips.
On first listen, Notan can be a little disjointed, but if you spend time with the record, you will quickly appreciate the way it hangs together. The album is drawn from the Japanese concept that explores the interplay between light and dark, through six evocative pieces, some short, some epically long.
There is something about Jo’s style that is intensely personal. Whether it is the way in which she creates the compositions, through a series of initial looped improvisations that slowly develop and expand into pieces of raw beauty, or the crafting of pieces that later this year will fit in with a full orchestral recording.
Instantly identifiable, her modelling sees the expansive Rex sprawl through the first part of the record, although the crashing doom-laden Butterfly Dance is a harrowing yet compelling opening track.
As someone with no musical ability, Jo’s creative qualities are stunning. I understand that Rex has taken huge amounts of time to evolve and come together, but the results are phenomenal. Moments of softness collide with jarring intensity. This is a rich tapestry that hangs together with cohesion.
The second single First Rain is at odds with much of the album. A gentler, more evocative piece on piano, it is one that appears to have been easier to create. “First Rain arrived almost without ceremony,” Jo says, “and seemed to emerge fully formed. It’s the first time I’ve brought piano into my recorded work, and capturing it with a very basic single mic set-up felt fitting for this piece – instinctive and unfiltered. I’ve included it on Notan because I have a strong feeling this is where it belongs”.
What grasps me most tightly from all of Jo’s music is her ability to create atmospheric masterpieces. You can draw your own interpretation from music without words, her sonic identity with electric and acoustic cello work, making her sound unique.
Having made Notan through live takes, with looped sections performed in full, one could eulogise for many hours about this work.
Ultimately, though, this is a record that demands your attention. Be drawn into the web and allow another beautiful album to resonate deeply and richly.
Once more, the world can be glad that Jo Quail is making such glorious soundscapes. Sit back and enjoy the journey.
Notan is released on 12 September 2025 via Adderstone Records. Pre-order the album now at joquail.bandcamp.com/album/notan.
