Culture Clash: Rachel Sermanni

Cultural touchstones with the Scottish songwriter...

Rachel Sermanni's journey has taken her from after-school shows to a monastery, from the Scottish Highlands to Berlin.

New album 'So It Turns' has been some time in the works, but that's merely a testament to her fastidious nature, to Rachel's ability to circumvent the rules.

A literate, exploratory return, it finds the Scottish artist digging within herself once more, unearthing fresh truths in the process.

Bold new song 'Tiger' is online now, so elegant in its approach, while the full album follows on August 23rd.

Clash investigated her cultural touchstones in Culture Clash…

– – –

– – –

Book…

The last novel I read was In The Distance by Hernan Diaz which was sparse and lonely as a story and freewheeling in how it was written. It left me hollow. Barren. In a way I appreciate.

Away from fiction, I’ve been reading Shambala: The Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa. I appreciate his way of teaching SO much. He speaks to every aspect; The parts I have awareness of, in myself, and the parts that try to keep hidden. Conceptually, in trying to grasp this life, he never lets you rest somewhere – not even nowhere.

Another book is Yoni Shakti by Una Dinsmore-Tuli PhD. She’s written a tome on The Feminine energy and how to re-engage with and revere it.

The Sanskrit title actually translates to ‘Cunt Power.’ I didn’t even know the actual etymology and derivatives of this extremely potent word until she made me aware of it in this book. It’s worth reading. Cunt is a word worth reclaiming for women, as far as I can see.

TV Show…

Stranger Things is extremely enjoyable. I try not to watch too much TV as it leaves me feeling slothful. It gives me a strange hangover. I’m more productive, joyful and rejuvenated if I stare up at space than if I stare at a TV. But I DO enjoy Stranger Things. Album…

I’m finding all these streaming platforms a bit of an obstacle to listening to music just now. Constant updates, storage issues, monthly membership renewals… it sort of just stops me from listening to anything.

My record player broke a while back and I must get a new one. And my van, where I used to do most of my listening, has become dormant seen as I’m touring less as a mama. Anyway.

Roddy Woomble of Idlewild’s album, 'The Deluder', was a good recent listen.

Film…

She Sings To The Stars is an indie film by a magic woman called Jennifer Corcoran who I recently had the pleasure of meeting in West Cork. The film is SO special. It made me quiet and spacious, reverent and connected.

Gadget…

I could talk about my phone…but I’ll twist this one and speak of an ancient ‘technology’. The Mala. It wraps my wrist every day and I use it to recite mantra in various life moments – be it having a conversation, walking from one place to the other, waiting for the tram. The mantra gives me something to say, to think and the Mala beads connect the thought and the word to my body, and into action.

It is a way to create some quiet alignment of body/speech/mind and, at times of stress/fear/neurosis. It just makes things a little looser and gives me something to focus energy on.

– – –

Rachel Sermanni will release new album 'So It Turns' on August 23rd. Catch her live at the following shows:

August
10 Edinburgh Summerhall – Album Launch

September
11 Aberdeen The Blue Lamp
12 Inverness Eden Court
13 Stirling The Tollbooth
19 – 22 Shetland Songwriting Festival
27 Galway The Black Gate
28 Dublin Lost Lane

October
Glasgow St Andrews in the Square – Album Launch
10 London St Pancras Church
11 Husthwaite Village Hall
12 Bury The Met
13 Kingskerswell Parish Church
19 Durham The Old Launderette

Join us on Vero, as we get under the skin of global cultural happenings. Follow Clash Magazine as we skip merrily between clubs, concerts, interviews and photo shoots. Get backstage sneak peeks and a true view into our world as the fun and games unfold.

Buy Clash Magazine

-
Join the Clash mailing list for up to the minute music, fashion and film news.