Queer alt-folk rising star Eden J Howells announces the release of their debut EP - the fool

Image credit: Blackham Images

Alt-folk rising star Eden J Howells announces the release of their debut EP, the fool, to come out on all major streaming platforms on Friday 27th October 2023, following their latest single, “nice enough”, which was released on Wednesday 11th October.

the fool is an accumulation of Eden’s best work to date. It takes the listener on a sensational journey of Eden’s time on earth over the last few years. From mental health, to breakups, astrology and ego, Eden unreservedly weaves through the mind of a young, queer, neurodiverse person in the 21st Century with this project. 

The EP’s title is a nod to the tarot card, the Fool, and the meaning behind it. Represented as the protagonist in many esoteric systems of tarot, the Fool stands at the precipice of the unknown. Speaking on the EP, Eden says: “I feel like I am very much stepping out into the unknown with this EP. This is the start of something big, and I can feel it.”

The opening track of the EP, “ordinary”, is a raw and telling tale of childhood, battles with poor mental health and the fundamental desire to be “like an ordinary person.” Eden’s cutting yet soothing vocal is permeated with the bittersweet sounds of infancy and nostalgia, with the tasteful infusion of sound bites into the song.

The EP is cracked wide open with the second song on the tracklist: “mercury”. Forever introduced at live shows by Eden as “a song for any astrology fans in the house,” “mercury” presents a mystical and polyrhythmic soundscape that pays homage to some of Eden’s greatest musical inspirations, such as Hozier, Half Moon Run and Ben Howard.

“nice enough” appears as the third track on the fool. Country inspired and tongue-in-cheek, the song represents an unadulterated and alluring shift from the other, more melancholic tracks on the EP. It’s a bold ode to ego and pride in the queer dating scene today, and a fan favourite.

Finding themself back in the wounded psyche of the artist, the listener encounters “too sick” as the fourth and final track on the fool. A true and vivid breakup ballad, the song details the breakdown of a passionate but volatile romance and first appeared on Eden’s homemade demo EP, bedroom tapes vol. 1 (the heartbreak edition).

Eden is set to headline Strongroom in Shoreditch on Wednesday 8th November to celebrate the release of the fool at their EP release party. Elaborating on their journey to release this project, Eden says: “This EP feels like a very long time coming and I’m so excited for it to be out in the world. These songs focus on issues that span my whole life, from childhood up until this very moment. I hope someone will find solace and connection in these songs, that’s all I’ve ever really wanted.”

Image credit: The 333 London

Eden is a London based trans and queer creative. A multi-instrumentalist, writer, and self-acclaimed wordsmith, they thrive in their exploration of love and the mind. In August 2021, Eden self-released their debut single, "honey," which has garnered over 11,000 streams on Spotify and received widespread recognition. The release of "honey" was followed by their second single, "the ceiling," which was launched on all major streaming platforms the following month.

In July of this year, Eden completed a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to create the fool EP, in which they met their funding target within two weeks of the month-long campaign. Eden is a Help-Musicians supported artist, having recently received funding to help them hone their craft further. They have also been taking part in the Help Musicians Co-Pilot Mentoring scheme since March 2023, where they have worked with music professionals from the likes of Universal Music to further develop their work.