For those unaware, founding Dire Straits member David Knopfler and former Pretenders guitarist Robbie McIntosh are among the many respected musicians who are contributing to a new instrumental project called Held by Trees.

The collective, led by composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist David Joseph, will release a new single called “Mysterium” on November 12th, 2021 and is planning to issue its self-titled debut album in the spring of 2022.

Joseph describes Held by Trees’ music as somewhere between David Gilmour-era Pink Floyd and the later, prog-rock-influenced work of British new wave band Talk Talk.

The latter is no surprise, considering the fact that several musicians who worked with Talk Talk — and on the solo recordings by that group’s late frontman Mark Hollis — are featured on “Mysterium.”

They include McIntosh, drummer/percussionist Martin Ditcham and keyboardist Laurence Pendrous and this debut track also includes the talents of veteran blues singer/songwriter Eric Bibb.

1. Mysterium (Radio Edit) (4:47)
2. Mysterium (Full Version) (4:52)
3. In The Trees (6:07)
4. In The Trees (Ambient Version) (6:31)

This quite mesmerizingly opulent CD single from the instrumental post-rock project Held By Trees opens on the definitively diaphanous gossamer of Mysterium (Radio Edit) and then brings us its Full Version, before diving into the translucent ebb and flow of In The Trees, closing on the aptly versionized, and thus quietly subdued Ambient Version of the same track.

Official Website

Official “Mysterium” Purchase Links

Official Debut Album Pre-Order Purchase Link

Held By Trees @ Facebook

Held By Trees @ Instagram