August 2026 – The New Songrise

Capac Recommends: Martin & the New Songrise – Clouds & Silver Linings

By Carsten Linde

From a young age, Martin Høybye apprenticed himself to American songwriters and musicians of the kind who champion analog, homespun music with something to say and a belief that honest songwriting and handcrafted music can make a difference—not only for the artists themselves, but for listeners as well. And that apprenticeship is something Martin Høybye neither can nor would want to escape on his new album, Clouds & Silver Linings, which in every respect stands as proof of the musical education he has received.

The twelve songs Martin has written—some in collaboration with Michael Blicher, Søren Skov, Linda Andrews, and Tine Vingaard—meet the listener in a praiseworthy and exemplary fashion when the gatefold LP is opened. These are songs that follow the formula of many a country and/or Americana song: life has its ups and downs and gives us our share of bruises, but even when things look most hopeless and bleak, there is a “silver lining.” And it is this sliver of light and hope that creates good songs and gives both the art and its audience faith that, after all, it is worth hanging in there and carrying on with this damn life.

Highly catchy, and imbued with a clear pop sensibility

And just as Martin Høybye and his musical playmates owe a debt to this US American outlook on life, they are of course also indebted to the diverse, colorful world of Americana, which takes pride in being homespun, handcrafted, analog, and rooted in a time when no one could say “artificial intelligence.” Martin Høybye, with his fine voice and musicality, adds a deeply personal touch to his and the band’s take on this eclectic musical form. Everything is pared down to the essentials with a particular simplicity, placing Martin’s voice firmly at the center, rising above a finely balanced foundation of attentive ensemble playing, where close-knit textures alternate with sharp, brief instrumental bursts. The twelve songs are of a high quality, highly catchy, and imbued with a clear pop sensibility that should be able to win over listeners beyond those already sold on this particular musical orientation.

Taken as a whole, Clouds & Silver Linings is an excellent example of how Americana has long since become a global musical language—one that need not be an export product from America, but can thrive just as well elsewhere, including right here at home. So give Martin Høybye and his excellent band a chance—on record and onstage. Warmly recommended.

Martin & the New Songrise.
Clouds & Silver Linings. Produced by Dennis Ahlgren, Michael Blicher, Martin Høybye, Søren Skov, and Linda Andrews. Songcrafter Press. Released August 28, 2026.

Original post by Carsten Linde, 29 August, 2026:
https://www.capac.dk/wordpress/?p=40228

by Martin Høybye

Review: Chasing Butterflies is "brutally honest and heart-breaking, yet deeply caring"

When vulnerability becomes great art

It takes a very special kind of courage to invite someone right into the most fragile spaces of one’s childhood, which is precisely the case with the single “Chasing Butterflies” from the fascinating musical universe of Martin & The New Songrise.

In a time when far too many people carry invisible baggage from their upbringing, frontman Martin Høybye puts poignant words and music to the complexities of growing up with mental illness in the family.

A relentless yet loving narrative about the void that follows into adulthood when, as a child, one has had to navigate a parent’s depression and emotional unpredictability—with a painful and poignant image of a child’s unconditional love that strikes right at the heart:

“But I still laid my love at your feet / Like a dog bringing home roadkill from the street”.

It is a brutally honest and heartbreaking, yet deeply caring description of the innocent urge to comfort and “fix” a sick parent.

It is authentic and genuine craftsmanship stripped down to the bone—devoid of unnecessary production, recorded live in one take with just vocals and a resonator guitar, and only gently complemented by a nylon-string guitar.

It is organic, human, and brutally honest in its complete nakedness, allowing the soul of the story to breathe.

A track that grows on you and comes highly recommended.

Listen : https://martinandthenewsongrise.lnk.to/chasingbutterflies