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Lewis-based dark folk band Skorum are set to release their latest single on Friday, 6 June. In the lead-up to this, has been years of hard work and dedication to finding their sound, songwriter Martin Adil-Smith and vocalist Jo-Jo Azare have been working closely together, bringing their creative visions to life through music.
Formed in December 2019, Skorum consists of songwriter Martin, based on the Isle of Lewis, and singer Jo-Jo who is based in Inverness, have created their outlandish inspired folk band. Drawing inspiration from bands, which Martin describes as North European folk, such as Heilung, Wardruna, and Runahild.
Martin had an array of jobs before focussing on his passion for music. He said: “I worked in commercial real estate for an international consultancy where I helped create tax efficient investment vehicles, finishing in Tokyo, Japan.
“I moved back to London, when the financial crash happened and met my wife. We married in 2008 and moved to Edinburgh the following year, where I headed up Edinburgh Airport’s property department. I was developing a hotel, business facilities, and a cargo hub.”
In 2011, Edinburgh Airport was sold due to a Competition Commission ruling and Martin had received a payoff, at the same time he and his wife were welcoming their first daughter.
The family moved to Ness in Lewis in 2014, Martin, his wife, and their two daughters, to which he said the community welcomed them with ‘open arms’.
Martin said: “We love it here and with my kids being a little bit older now, I have just completed an online BA (Hons) in Applied Music run by University of the Highlands and Islands in Stornoway.
“I am now hoping to continue my studies by doing a part time online MA in Psychology in The Arts (Music) with the Royal Conservatoire, starting in September.”
His passion for music began from listening to the music his father played, growing up with the likes of Johnny Cash, The Eagles, and The Electric Light Orchestra, Martin had his own awakening with bands lick Fields of Nephilim, Paradise Lost, and Sisters of Mercy.
Reflecting on the power of live music, Martin said: “For me, nothing beats a live show where you feel the bass moving through your chest.”
While retaining his interest in hard rock and heavy metal, Martin’s taste in music has expanded over time. Now listening to a mix of world music and neo folk, he enjoys bands like Skald, Nytt Land, and A Tergo Lupi.
Skorum was born from the inspiration of seeing the band Heilung perform their headline act at CastleFest, a popular medieval and fantasy festival in the Netherlands.
Martin said: “When I saw the video in 2019, I knew that this was the sort of music I wanted to be making. Thus, Skorum was born.”
Their first two albums were based on Old Norse stories, Martin said: “Freyja’s Song was a devotional to the goddess of war and magick, and The Reddening was a war hymn to the fallen of Vanaheim and Asgard.”
Their third album, The Forest of Ash & Bone, took inspiration from The Ulster Cycle of stories, more specifically of the cycle of Maiden-Mother-Crone.
Their fourth album, due in September 2025, looks at the stories of 1920’s writers HP Lovecraft who is most famously known for creating the Cthulhu Mythos.
For Skorum, Martin writes and records the instrumental parts, after which Jo-Jo then adds her vocals.
He believes that with the accessibility of modern recording technology, there’s no longer any need to spend money on a week in a traditional, hourly-rate studio.
He said: “Essentially, for £1,500 you can get a laptop, interface, mic and some decent quality instruments to get you going.”
Martin added that although physical CD sales are generally in decline, Skorum still produces copies of their albums. Each CD includes one bonus track that’s unavailable on streaming platforms.
Martin said: “You can get good quality inlay and 50 CD’s for under £150. Then it’s just a question of setting up a free Bandcamp profile and directing people to your landing page.
“Not every visit is a sale, but it’s been steady, and we have some really devoted fans.”
He debuted the new album at An Lanntair at the end of April as part of his final year project with University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), serving as both a celebration of his academic achievements and a significant milestone in his artistic development.
He said: “The reception was brilliant, I can’t wait for the rest of the world to hear it.”
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