A new Cornwall-based collaborative duo, entitled ISYLA, has announced they are releasing their very first album, recorded and produced during the pandemic lockdown.

ISYLA is an unusual equal partnership between songwriter and lyricist Amy Woodburn (41) and singer-songwriter Lizzie Freeborn (19), both Cornwall-based musicians with a passion for music and the environment.

Lizzie Freeborn said:

"Amy's writing and compositions are so beautiful and hold so much depth. I cried when I first heard 'Home' and 'January Rain' as it was just so powerful to hear the truthful lyrics come to life, and so much of the content is so relevant to the here and now that we are all experiencing, no matter what age or life stage we are at.

"I think everyone can see that lockdown has brought a sense of relief to the earth and this is something that must continue. In our modern age, it's inevitable that many of our lives become fast-paced and so orientated around work that we lose sight of what's really keeping us all alive."

Amy and Lizzie met pre-pandemic, after an Extinction Rebellion event in Falmouth, and have worked through the COVID-19 lockdown to find new routes and collaborate, a process which has caused unique challenges, but in the end, taken the music, and the surrounding creative processes, to new and unexpected levels.

ISYLA's first collaborative project, the album 'Where She Walks', is a beautiful homage to a brighter future for generations to come, self-growth, reflection and Mother Earth. With 10 tracks, 'Where She Walks' is not just an album for those already deeply engaged on climate issues but also an invitation for us all to consider ourselves as human beings first and foremost.

The album takes its audience on a journey through different musical genres and styles. Its sound ranges from the delicate contemporary folk and electro of The Staves and London Grammar, heard in 'Daughter' and 'January Rain', to the anthemic heights of 'Earthling', reminiscent of the glorious Chvrches.

After a darker, rather more Billie Eilish-esque tone is struck towards the conclusion, with the defiance of 'Children of the Revolution' and '2050', it ends rather like it began, backs in its sumptuous folk roots with the final tracks.

The lyrics work hard to be free of judgement, something that can sometimes be a barrier to people changing their attitudes. With lines such as 'The cruel the beautiful, I know they're ours' from the anthemic Earthling, these songs delicately embrace the notion that only through honesty and shared ownership of our failings can we begin to combat the threat of climate change.

41-year-old Amy is a Speech Therapist by day with two young children and 19-year-old Lizzie is a full-time college student and part-time make-up artist considering her next steps in life.

Amy's mother was a violin teacher and by chance, it turns out that she taught Lizzie as a young girl. That Lizzie had been one of Amy's mum's students wasn't something the artists would know until they had already formed their own musical connection, and collaboration, over twelve years later.

The two share immediate and inherent bonds through music, for the right kind of change, for nature and for their home of Cornwall. The physical resemblance between them is also astounding despite not actually being related. This combination, together with the historical connection with Amy's mum has set the foundation for a magical friendship and new working relationship.

When writing the songs Amy has found inspiration from love, loss and visualising her children's future. When her mother passed away due to a brain tumour two years ago it truly set things into perspective. The loss of her mother is what eventually pushed Amy towards the realisation of the 'ISYLA' dream and she has invested heavily in the project using the inheritance from her mum.

The album has been worked on and completed during the pandemic-lockdown, which means the extended ISYLA team haven't been short on obstacles along the way. Countless hours on Zoom creating plans, recording from home, mixing, editing and even the producer gathering a remote Facebook choir to create the sound in the uplifting final bars of 'Daughter', have paid off.

Songwriter Amy Woodburn said:

"There is no doubt in my mind that the perfect time to release this album is now, not only because every day counts, but also because we have just been shaken out of our 'normal' and forced to think about the need to change our behaviour as a collective.

"There's much that COVID-19 can teach us about dealing with the climate crisis, not least that it has become apparent that we can all change our behaviour, for the good of others, from the 'top' down, when we understand we have to."

From lockdown onwards, all session players and vocalists had to work remotely. Whenever Lizzie and Amy had to be physically present, in photoshoots and studio sessions at Cornwall's 'Cube Recording Studio' for example, they had to be socially distanced as per the government's guidelines, or worked solo, whilst in constant contact via technology.

Although a challenge for sure, it has allowed for a brand-new way of working where the over-riding ISYLA team, with Amy and Lizzie at the core, have found different ways of harnessing their creative power, both solo and collaboratively at the same time.

COVID-19 is costing humans greatly. To combat its spread all across the world, people have had forced upon them a unique pause. The making of, and the launch, of ISYLA, therefore, comes at a fitting time as multi-generations talk about their appreciation of the simple things, of nature, and of a shared ambition to step into a more caring kind of 'normal' when this is all over.

Amy added:

"When we come out of lockdown I really hope we can see more clearly the link between the way we live our lives and its environmental impact.

"When I started writing the album I wanted above all else to find a compassionate way to connect people with this issue and with Earth, our home. Waking up to the scale of the crisis and having the vision to reimagine a different and better future is what is at the core of our ISYLA compositions.

"We have all been living in a smaller, more meaningful, more sustainable way, over the past couple of months, and I hope that many will notice the additional value that this brings to their lives, as well as to the planet.

"Real connections with people we love is where the real joy is to be found and even in the severe lockdown conditions, creativity and connection have pushed through and Lizzie and I have been able to realise our ambition with the making, and launch, of ISYLA."

'Where She Walks' by ISYLA is available for streaming on all major platforms as of Friday 5th of June 2020.