HeadQuarters: Launching “Clouds & Silver Linings” LIVE
We had a heartwarming and amazing release event - launching “Clouds & Silver Linings”
LIVE 24 - 9 
(below)
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 on Clouds & Silver Linings:
Thanks to all 
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Reviews in excerpts:
Trenodo
- Vox Wave Magazine
- RGM Press
- T. Bjorklund
H. Lynch (Voxwave)
musikfans.dk
- Capac
- Tomas La Cour, Tholacour.blogspot
Album review: "A Folk-country Gem – Calm, honest and full of contrasts"
Martin & The New Songrise release the folk-country gem Clouds & Silver Linings
By Trenodo
Martin & The New Songrise have released their new album Clouds & Silver Linings – 12 songs rooted in folk, country and americana. The album circles around life's contrasts – love and loss, hope and doubt, hardship and new beginnings – all told through strong melodies and honest lyrics.
And that sense of contrast is exactly what stands out to me the most.
Martin's voice is calm and relaxing from the very first note, and there's so much presence in both the lyrics and the vocal delivery. You can tell every word is meant.
Musically, it's a great mix of a bit of country vibe and pop feeling – a combination that really works. The tracks are great and kept simple, which just gives even more room for the voice and the lyrics to shine.
What I really love, though, is the way the album keeps shifting between very calm, gentle passages and moments with far more nerve, passion and intensity in the voice. That push and pull is what keeps you hooked from song to song.
Clouds & Silver Linings is a warm, honest album – and I think you should give it a full listen from start to finish.
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Streaming options and vinyl: https://martinandthenewsongrise.lnk.to/cloudsandsilverlinings
Original Trenodo post: https://trenodo.com/spotlight/calm-honest-and-full-of-contrasts
Lynch album review: "The record reaches the level of a universal statement"
“If I can feel your pain, your doubts, your happiness, your elation through the music, it means I can feel you. And this can lead to reflection on my own life”, – says musician and songcraft researcher Martin Høybye.
By Helena Lynch, Voxwavemagazine
Having written his first song at fourteen, and at seventeen setting off to the US to master the subtleties of co-writing, Høybye dedicated his whole life to music, creating hundreds of as-yet unreleased works and even defending a doctoral dissertation on the origins of song. And now in 2026, this colossal experience takes shape in his ambitious project Martin & The New Songrise. The album “Clouds & Silver Linings”, released on August 28 on vinyl and streaming services, opens a pentalogy – the first chapter of a large-scale epic united by principles of honesty and timelessness.
Recorded with the participation of a strong team of longtime collaborators and professionals, the album explores the contrasts of human existence. Twelve tracks, honed over the years, weave folk, country, and americana into a cohesive canvas of love, vulnerability, and hope.
The album opens with a sincere revelation in “High Tide”. A song about love capable of withstanding the ebbs and flows of life. In its minimalist acoustic texture, Høybye invites the listener to sit nearby and stay silent for a bit. Soft piano chords, restrained drums, and a close, enveloping lingering vocal create a space of confession. A song about devotion without grand gestures: love remains nearby when the world begins to crumble. Cozy solitude gives way to a dramatic breakdown on the track “Bad Thing Go”: acoustic silence explodes with a driving country-soul with a tangible taste of Motown. The viscous groove of the drums highlights a story of painful emotional dependence, while Martin’s vocals perform a masterful somersault – from a whisper to a husky, expressive growl in rich choruses, conveying the full desperate inability to break free from the toxic pool.
If “Bad Thing Go” is a confession of dependence, then “De-Bluesify Me” is an attempt to break free from it. The protagonist passionately desires to free themselves from a state of longing, sadness, and emotional decline caused by the breakdown of a relationship. Playful and rhythmic swing, a mixture of blues and country-folk, guitar “hatching,” and a light, swaying rhythm section. Vocals – with a slight “southern” accent, spirited, with pronounced irony and the emotion of a conversational monologue. I really liked how Høybye sings about pain; he kind of laughs at it – and in this laughter, there is something healing. Irony gives way to the exploration of a deep, raw wound. “Chasing Butterflies” – an acoustic ballad about an attempt to heal childhood trauma and earn a father’s approval. Minimalist guitar picking only underscores the vocal outbursts of Høybye, whose performance sounds so raw and honest that the listener inevitably confronts their own inner emptiness.
Overcoming personal pain, the record reaches the level of a universal statement. In “Forgiveness”, classic, warm americana with its “breathing” rhythm section becomes a space for a pacifist manifesto. Martin’s confident and calming voice sounds like a call to break the endless cycle of violence for the sake of those who will come after us. In the song, one can hear the author’s firm belief that art is capable of inspiring positive change. Continuity is picked up by “Like Your Mama Did” – a cinematic indie-folk with an encouraging, building road-movie tempo. A song of parting advice to a young girl leaving her home. Melodic, patronizing vocals are supported by dense harmonic backing vocals – as if the whole family is seeing the heroine off on her journey.
The climax of the album’s spiritual quest is “Talking to God”. Dark folk-blues originates from a muted rustle, but gradually grows into a monumental canvas with a Hammond organ and stomp-percussion. Martin’s semi-recitative, similar to a thoughtful mumbling, turns by the finale into a desperate plea in search of meaning and redemption amidst someone else’s and one’s own grief.
After such a finale, one wants to understand more who this person is, capable of singing like this. Martin Høybye is often described with the words “soul”, “element”, “international level”. But I remembered the words of singer and writer Mary Gauthier: “I feel you, and I feel me, as you sing your beautiful words.”
I confess honestly: this is my first acquaintance with Høybye and Martin & The New Songrise. But after “Clouds & Silver Linings”, I feel – it’s for a long time. Martin constantly strives to change something – as a social pedagogue, an artist, and recently as an ethnographer studying human impact on nature. The essence of the album was best expressed by the author himself:
“These songs are my reactions to life’s ups and downs. I believe we’ve managed to weave a thread ofhope through the entire album. Despite everything happening in the world, there is still reason to be hopeful. I believe art can inspire positive change by reminding us of our shared vulnerability and the beauty of simply being alive.”
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Original review, by Helena Lynch, Voxwavemagazine:
https://voxwavemag.com/2026/09/16/clouds-silver-linings-martin-the-new-songrise-begin-building-a-catalog-of-timeless-songs/
"Like A Film Made of Songs": Album review
By Thomas La Cour, Music Journalist
Martin & The New Songrise’s Clouds & Silver Linings is a collection of powerful songs that come together as a small, poetic film.
Martin Høybye is an excellent storyteller. He demonstrated that clearly ten years ago, when he released the novel and album For the World, allowing songs and music to accompany the story.
A Film Made of Songs
His ability to tell a story through multiple songs remains very much intact on his latest project, Clouds & Silver Linings. We follow a man struggling with his relationship and his sense of self while his children are preparing to leave the nest. What is the meaning of it all when the project of life seems to be approaching some kind of conclusion? When his daughter is heading to Berlin because she must not remain tied to the town where she grew up, as her mother did. Doubt can strike any of us, and perhaps the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. The strengths and weaknesses of a relationship, the longings of childhood, forgiveness, the doubts and struggles of life.
That may sound terribly banal in my admittedly unfair summary, but it is anything but. The 12 songs are vivid portraits of mood that you can immerse yourself in for a while. I listened to the album with half an ear during my first several spins while driving. It is an excellent road-trip record, with memorable choruses that could easily have been sung by one of the big names from over there. When I took more time to listen to the lyrics, the film began.
A kind of Revival
Martin Høybye calls his new project “Martin & The New Songrise.” It almost sounds like a revival. At the very least, it creates certain expectations, and fortunately the album delivers on them. From what I understand, there are also more albums in the works.
The New Songrise is a close musical partnership featuring Peter Dombernowsky on drums, Dennis Ahlgren on bass and guitars, and Jeppe Juul Jepsen on organ and other keyboards. Jan Thomsen plays additional guitar on “Forgiveness” and is one of the architects behind the Songrise concept. Other guest musicians also appear along the way—including Ivan Pedersen, whose instantly recognizable backing vocals can be heard on “Fades to Black” (which could easily have been a radio hit for Ivan’s own band, Backseat).
The small trio behind Martin Høybye’s voice and guitar creates a space filled with warmth, richness, and authenticity. There was a time when it was fairly easy to tell when a Danish artist was attempting country, Americana, folk, or blues, but this album sounds as if it was made by an American or Canadian artist.
Cohesive, Yet With Plenty of Range
While Martin Høybye sings as though you’d think he had emigrated from the States, his vocal style is also quite ”un-Danish”, because he sings as if something important is at stake in every word. From a roar to falsetto. “Chasing Butterflies” is deeply moving in all its stark simplicity.
There is plenty of musical range across the album, while it remains remarkably cohesive at the same time. “Forgiveness” carries hints of Billy Preston, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr. “De-Bluesify Me” could easily have been written by John Fogerty, while “Talking to God” is almost Dylan-like, and in mood comes close to “Man in the Long Black Coat” from Daniel Lanois’ well-known production.
Martin & The New Songrise: Clouds & Silver Linings — Songcrafter Press on vinyl — also available on streaming services: martinandthenewsongrise.lnk.to/cloudsandsilverlinings
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Sept 22, 2026
Org. DK publication: https://tholacour.blogspot.com/2026/09/skyer-og-sma-solstraler.html
Album review: "Like a warm hug from an old friend"
Album review: Clouds & Silver Linings
T. Bjorklund/Love for Music & Concerts, in English:
With the release of their album, “Clouds & Silver Linings,” Martin & The New Songrise have created a wonderful musical sanctuary consisting of 12 deeply personal yet universally relatable songs that, with their roots in folk, country, and Americana, feel like a warm hug from an old friend. A heartwarming soundtrack to life’s contrasts: Martin & The New Songrise embraces it all.
"What’s truly fascinating about “Clouds & Silver Linings” is its effortless ability to adapt to the listener’s needs—whether it’s the perfect, dusty soundscape for a long road trip, a quest for contemplation in an armchair, or simply the need for pleasant, hand-played background music for everyday life—this album has it all.
It’s simply addictive to let yourself be swept away by the powerful melodies and the organic, raw expression. It’s the sound of a life lived in music, ranging from vulnerability to outlaw country vibes —an album that spans life’s big and small contrasts—from the heart-wrenching and intimate “Chasing Butterflies,” which reminds us of the immense healing that comes from sharing our most vulnerable stories, to a completely different and rawer energy on tracks like “Bad Thing Go” and “Forgiveness,” which inevitably bring to mind the sweaty atmosphere of the movie *Road House*, complete with well-played instruments and a vocal presence that performs with notable surplus power.
But also tracks like “High Tide,” with its laid-back blues-soul vibe and strong, vulnerable vocals, “Kicks” has a particularly captivating effect—a wonderful symbiosis between vocals, guitar, and drums—and “Like Your Mama Did”—pack your suitcase, grab your well-worn guitar, and set your sights on Berlin—the ultimate, exuberant soundtrack to longing and the courage to chase big dreams.
It’s a soundtrack for life’s open roads and all the inevitable detours—honest, uncompromising, and incredibly addictive.”
Craftful & Ingenious - a vibrant, engaging, and stunningly well-produced album
ALBUM Review, "Clouds & Silver Linings"
Original review at Musikfans, by Carsten Linde. In English:
Behind the band name Martin & The New Songrise is, above all, singer, songwriter, and guitarist Martin Høybye. When he’s not writing music, Martin is a researcher at the University of Southern Denmark (he has a Ph.D. in ethnographic songwriting!!).
In the lead-up to the recording of the craftful and ingenious “Clouds & Silver Linings,” Martin Høybye has clearly honed his storytelling technique within a melodic blend of folk, country, blues, and Americana. The album is refreshingly polished, in part because every single superb song has masterful lyrics, verses, and choruses.
It’s as clear as day that “Clouds & Silver Linings” is the culmination and highlight so far of a nice, long career as a songwriter. Listen, for example, to the song “De-bluesify Me.” Profound with hit potential. Witty because the album is imaginative, varied, and relatable. At times subdued, only to become edgier—as in “Bad Thing Go,” for example—where a blues harmonica suddenly makes the song “dangerous.”
To me, Martin Høybye leans—both in terms of inspiration and caliber—toward the American Marc Cohn (the man behind, among other songs, “Walking In Memphis,” “Walk Through The World,” and “Listening To Levon”). Big words, I admit. But these 12 songs could very well one day—once the album reaches a Trump-free U.S.—be reinterpreted by Marc Cohn himself, who has already paid tribute to the early heroes on his album “Listening To Booth: 1970.”
Surrounded by talented musicians such as Dennis Ahlgren (producer, electric guitar, and bass), Jeppe Juul Jepsen (keyboards), and Peter Dombernowsky (drums), the overall impression is that of a vibrant, engaging, and stunningly well-produced album. An album that builds on the two previous ones—“The Hourglass Sessions” from 2019 and “Song In The Key Of Collaboration” from 2024.
Twelve cohesive, sensory songs that ingeniously celebrate the intimate, standing up and making a case for how songs can make this threatened earth and world a slightly better place to be.
With a singer and songwriter like Martin Høybye, it still makes sense to look forward to the next beautiful Sunrise.
RGM Interview: Martin talks about The New Songrise
(Read interview on the RGM platform here)
Tell us bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
I’ve been writing songs since I was a teenager in Denmark in the 80’s. Growing up, I was immersed in a melting pot of Danish folk music, soul, jazz and blues music from the US. “British Invasion” music also made its mark, as did Irish, Canadian, South African, Australian, and Scandinavian singers and songwriters.
Emancipatory songs, from Guthrie, to Seeger, and from Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to Bill Withers and Muddy Waters (to name a few) helped shape my voice and beginning songwriting from when I was around 15. Then others added their touch to the mix. Today my voice is my own. But it is also something shaped by all of the above – an interconnected mix of nationalities, styles, genres, and songs
What’s the live music scene like in (Denmark) right now?
It is characterized by being a small country, and also, historically, pop territory. However, there is a growing folk-country perhaps even Americana-awareness with a few festivals that are known for this, notably “Tønder Festival” and “Nashville Nights”. The live scene is relatively vibrant but driven by big arena like set-ups, which is putting pressure on ticket sales in smaller venues. Luckily, we can play anywhere, so it is not going to hurt us so much – I rather think that time is working in our favor.
Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
Anything that Tina Dickow puts out. Also, Nanna Larsen & Ivan Pedersen, Anna Hansen, Cecilie Glenthøj, to name a few that sing in English here. I’ve had the pleasure of working with them on Samsoe Song Camp. And Michael Blicher’s project Aegteskab is interesting for many reasons, and Michael and I co-wrote ”High Tide” the first track on the new album.
What are your ambitions for the band?
The New Songrise builds on and records from the principle “Honest – Uncompromising – Timeless”. Songs must be written and played from an honest, uncompromising, place, and the resulting recordings must carry a timeless quality. Moreover, we draw on my decades as a songwriter, a life-long practice which earned me a PhD in songwriting (2023).
The songs of the singers, songwriters and musicians that shaped me as a singer were songs of resistance, redemption, love, and the pursuit of some level of happiness in the midst of often bleak prospects. In the band, we believe with songwriter and author Mary Gauthier that songs have the power to change the world “One song, one heart, one mind, one person at a time” – she wrote about this in her wonderful book “Saved By A Song”.
The ”logic” is that if listeners can feel your pain, your doubts, your happiness, your elation through the music, it means they can feel you. And this can lead to reflection on their own lives. So, our ambition is to keep recording and playing live – we would like to play more in Europe generally and it would be great to the band on the road elsewhere also – we are interested in playing where people want to hear us.
What’s your favorite social media platform to use and why?
At the moment we are trying to decide if we should go with something else in the future, but until then we are using METAs Instagram and Facebook, and we have an ambition to start using WhatsApp as well. We use these platforms because we find that these are what are audiences use.
We believe its essential to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and X to introduce yourself to all the different types of audiences out there, what’s your thoughts on that?
Agreed, but we should also be aware that artists have no control what so ever of the algorithms, and these platforms are not what they were ten years ago. It is much, much harder to get any kind or organic reach. At the moment they seem designed for monetization rather than anything else.
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
I think there are many industries within the music industry, and some are doing well while others are struggling. I am very happy that we write and produce songs that can work anywhere, from very minimalist voice-guitar productions to bigger things, because it means that we have great maneuverability and can adapt very well. At the same time, the major vs indie divide is as formidable as ever, and the question is what the future will be like for independent music production – perhaps it is bright because audiences will want, need and request authenticity. And that is exactly what we can deliver.
Whats your thoughts on AI generated music?
I have no need for Ai to produce any of the music that I make. I’ve trained 40 years for this, and there is no way to make it more professional or better using Ai. Also, I would miss the work process which is half the joy. I hope that people will still see the need to become skilled craftsmen and -women and to strive to do good work regardless of any technical help (or technically helped competition).
Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
Get away from the computer, play the music live whichever way is possible.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
I’ve just been on a week-long songwriting camp on an island in Denmark the ”Samsoe Song Camp 2026”, working with other songwriters from Denmark, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the United States, so I’m mostly listening to brandnew songs written in teams involving Cecilie Glenthøj, Emma Lihle, Anna Hansen, Ivan Pedersen, Jens Marni, Anja Fønss, Peter Frissnæs, Mike Stewart, Søren Skov, Peter Busborg, Søren Jacobsen and others.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
Clouds & Silver Linings is a collection of twelve songs that are both deeply personal but, I hope, universally relatable. Rooted in folk, country and Americana, the album combines storytelling with some fairly “no nonsense” songwriting. Probably appealing to listeners who appreciate a commitment to songwriting as craft and emotional honesty, (if you are on board with artists such as Chris Stapleton, Mary Gauthier or Willie Nelson this should rock your boat, while we also have a solid blues strand running through a good deal of the material).
The album explorares life’s contrasts—love and loss, hope and uncertainty, courage and vulnerability—as well as a concern for how we treat each other and the world we share. The twelve tracks were selected from both newly written songs and older material, representing where I stand today as a songwriter and artist, but also there is a kind of chronicling of lived experience over time.
What was the recording process like?
It was a very smooth process. There is just something about getting good players in the studio and recording tracks the way that the band sounds together on that day. The album features Dennis Ahlgren (bass, guitars, keyboards and production), Peter Dombernowsky (drums and percussion), Jan Thomsen (guitars), Jeppe Juul Jepsen (keyboards), together with additional guest musicians. The backing vocals are fx provided by my daughter Minna, alongside acclaimed songwriter colleagues Ivan Pedersen, Nanna Larsen, Jimmi Guldbæk, Linda Andrews and Søren Skov. So, we have been in very good company all along, and the album felt great to make, just like I think we’re all proud when we listen back to it now, being able to also appreciate the great mastering job done by Skonrokk Mastering.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Actually, we are all really happy with the record. We have also been very fortunate regarding its reception so far, getting some rather decent reviews. And, as importantly, colleagues have called me up and written messages in which they have said some very supportive things, while the live reception has been really good, too. All in all, I feel that we’re in a very good place, happy with where we are moving towards. You see, Clouds & Silver Linings marks the beginning of a much larger musical journey. Two follow-up albums are already in production, with additional projects in pre-production. Drawing inspiration from real-life experiences, our plan is to continue to build a catalogue of timeless songs rooted in honesty, craftsmanship and hope for a better tomorrow.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
The songs on Clouds & Silver Linings are my reactions to life’s ups and downs. I believe we’ve managed to weave a thread of hope through the entire album. Despite everything happening in the world, there is still reason to be hopeful. I believe art can inspire positive change by reminding us of our shared vulnerability and the beauty of simply being alive. Ask someone how they’re doing today and take the time to have a real conversation. We have to build community and take care of each other, so we can support each other in carrying a torch into the unknown future.
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RGM Album Review: Introducing Martin & The New Songrise
RGM Reviews “Clouds & Silver Linings”: https://bit.ly/4xdIeff
Weaving hope in folk, country and Americana is Martin & The New Songrise’s new twelve-track album “Clouds & Silver Linings”. A dynamic album full of contrasts, but warmly wrapped in comforting Danish folk.
Martin Høybye (singer, songwriter and guitar player) brings us a heartwarming journey through life’s ups and downs, and draws the ‘silver linings’ himself with authentic tunes and stories.
In coordination with a wonderful team of musicians behind the project, “Clouds & Silver Linings” explores all of life’s contrasts in Martin’s own interpretation of the genre, while also signalling the beginning of Martin & The New Songrise’s larger musical journey.
A subtle start to the album, “High Tide” offers a sense of solitude with the slow drums and minimal instrumentation, leaving us with only piano chords and Martin’s voice, prepping us emotionally with reassurance, that everything is going to be okay ‘when your love would carry me’
“When Heaven Fell” continues the slow, featuring intimate sound but with a little bit more flair with the sole strums and backing rhythmic guitars. Again Martin’s voice hugs you warmly, the stripping of fancy percussion really makes him shine. It is a bittersweet tune about regrets, the what ifs and the miserable present.
“Bad Thing Go” marks the country sound of the album, with the switch up in Martin’s soft, tender delivery into rowdy, tough growlings that adds that extra layer of flavour to the track. The rich harmonised chorus and the light drums makes up this classic love song with a kick that is irresistibly groovy.
We come back onto the ground with the laid-back folk with “Keys to the Peace”. A return to the old-school lovey dovey tunes, it is another bittersweet song but rather than agony; it talks about the sorrows of upholding the mundane life.
From lines like ‘I’m just a bit overworked’, ‘sometimes it ain’t right when we bottle up inside’, Keys to the Peace is a confession of a tired man, full of grief and yearning for peace.
It switches up into the rowdy southern accents and the upbeat guitars again with “De-bluesify me” the lyrics however, says otherwise. ‘I want you to De-bluesify me’ — it is about a man’s struggle to grip with reality and wishes to relive their youth, perfectly told in the playful swing of country folk.
The first song to feature a solid bass with driving drums and my favorite on the album is “Kicks”. The revolving bassline accompanied monologue-style singing from Martin just gives the track that bare, raw sound that it almost feels like you are listening to a story being written line by line.
“Chasing Butterflies” starts with skewering strums and the isolated vocals from Martin, unfiltered. As his voice almost comes in bursts, contrasting the softly-played guitar, the listener is invited into this comforting four minutes of solitude with Chasing Butterflies.
Reading into the lyrics, I can’t lie that this track did strum some of my heart strings as I sway to Martin’s mighty vocals.
“Fades to Black” is another track with a fully-fletched bassline and one of the few with richer instrumentation, again, despite the uplifting rhythms and driving drums, Martin sings yearningly. Longing for “something bigger than me to believe in” before everything ends.
“Forgiveness” is Martin’s ultimate commitment to the country sound, and he absolutely nailed it. A song about having good faith and giving forgiveness, sang in true country nature with badass fretless guitars.
Another slower but hearty tune. “Leaving Song (Lost My Faith)” sings about a regretful relationship, illustrated in mundane moments in life. It’s essentially a folk exit song but made easy-listening and almost leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Martin picked the fretless up again, however this time bringing it along with you as you set foot on a brand new journey ahead. “Like Your Mama did” is a fun one, telling the ‘girl’ to leave this ‘town’ altogether.
He sings ‘Girl, something’s gonna have to give for you to learn how to live’ — it’s like listening to the classic wise-old-man that is almost present in southern storytelling.
The final track “Talking to God”, is a subtly grim exit to the album, drenched in minor chords and mumbly delivery from Martin, “Talking to God” is another monologue-type folk song that explores internal struggles and questioning.
The bluey progressions to escalate into a blend of wailing, stumping percussion and distanced Hammond organ leaves a lingering sorrow that wraps around “Clouds & Silver Linings” as it comes to an end.
“Clouds & Silver Linings” is a hearty album, the twelve tracks may not be the most striking songs, but they all come together beautifully to move you within, while also injecting that strand of hope into our lives.
As Martin noted in his interview with us, “Clouds & Silver Linings” is a collection of songs that are both deeply personal but universally relatable.
I would argue that this has been achieved, both contextually and musically — a lot of care has been put into making this album, but what really makes it alive is the lived experiences that Martin sprinkled through the tracks.
With “Clouds & Silver Linings”, Martin has shown us that good music is written with emotional honesty, craftsmanship, and a real passion for sharing it with listeners.
Capac Recommends: Martin & the New Songrise – Clouds & Silver Linings
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.
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Original post by Carsten Linde, 29 August, 2026:
https://www.capac.dk/wordpress/?p=40228
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:
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.
Listen 
: https://martinandthenewsongrise.lnk.to/chasingbutterflies
(For the Love of Music & Concerts, T. Bjorklund)