Full Album show of October 20, 2022
With the album: Clandestine


Artist's Biography

Agent Starling are Quentin Budworth hurdy-gurdy and vocals and Lou Duffy-Howard vocals, bass guitar and all other instruments and programming. The album also features special guest Dexter Duffy-Howard on violin, cello and harmonium.

Both Quentin and Lou both have strong musical provenance. Lou was originally in recently reformed prophetic UK Indie band Red Guitars and has gigged and recorded ever since, currently heading up psychedelic rock band Loudhailer Electric Company. Originally part of Suns of Arqa, hurdy-gurdy specialist Quentin is the force behind world fusion medieval rave band Celtarabia.


About the Album

Agent Starling release their third full album ‘Clandestine’. The album is a celebration of ten tunes, eight composed by contemporary international hurdy-gurdy players together with two new arrangements of traditional tunes. All the tracks are performed, arranged and recorded by Agent Starling.

Many of the tunes featured on this album are drawn from musical friendships and Quentin's year long quest travelling across Europe learning from master Hurdy-Gurdy players and folk musicians from different musical traditions. His travels took him to France, Spain, Crete, Germany, Holland and Preston, Lancashire.

Full Album show of February 12, 2022
Album: Constellation of Birds


Artist's Biography

Quentin and Lou both have strong musical provenance. Lou was originally in recently reformed prophetic UK Indieband Red Guitars and has gigged and recorded ever since, currently heading up psychedelic rock band Loudhailer Electric Company. Originally part of Suns of Arqa, hurdy-gurdy specialist Quentin is the force behind world fusion medievalrave band Celtarabia. Agent Starling are preparing to tour in 2023.


About the Album

Releases 25 Feb 2022, world/folk/indie/fusion Agent Starling release their second album ‘Constellation of Birds’ on February 25th 2022. It follows debut album European Howl and winter EP The Northern Lights Trilogy, both released in 2021. Agent Starling are Quentin Budworth hurdy-gurdy and Louise DuffyHoward aka Lou Loudhailer voices & other instruments, also featuring special guest Dexter DuffyHoward on violin and cello. Recorded in Yorkshire UK by Agent Starling, the album was mastered in Oregon by Kevin Carafa.

In ‘Constellation of Birds’ real instruments, hurdy-gurdy, bass, violin, cello, hypnotic drones, vocal harmonies & spoken words are interwoven with found sounds and manipulated electronic synthesized tones. The melodies are inspired by traditional tunes, playing techniques, chants and refrains. The rhythm tracks are constructed from samples recorded around the home and field recordings to make rolling patterns and trap beats. The resulting mix is a very modern sound, a complex, compelling musical counterpoint full of catchy tunes with Pop, Indie, Folk and Dance sensibilities, all with an experimental edge.

The album features seven new original songs telling stories inspired by the environment in the contemporary world and influenced by musical traditions from nations across Europe, together with Agent Starling’s arrangements of two traditional tunes, O’Carolan’s Irish waltz Bridget Cruise and Swedish polska Hälleforsnäsar.

Agent Starling’s original songs span a joyful celebration of the summer solstice, Midsommer, to the song of an alien stranded on Earth during the pandemic – Leave No Trace. Paqaratz is an observation of the band’s dissent with the British government. Shadowland depicts a mysterious chance meeting by the dark sea, while dance track Princess Julia tells a fairy tale of a royal pretender and her secret. Valley to Mountainside, with its compound time signature changes and layered overlapping harmonies extols the beauty of nature, and in the album’s closing spoken word track – The Stonemason’s Dream – Agent Starling call for cathedral-thinking in the modern world to preserve it.

Full Album show of April 1, 2021
Album: European Howl


Artist's Biography

Agent Starling are Quentin Budworth hurdy-gurdy and Lou Loudhailer voices & other instruments. Expect catchy hurdy-gurdy tunes, new songs, hypnotic drones, live bass grooves & strings, all with an experimental edge.

Quentin and Lou both have strong musical provenance. Lou was originally in prophetic UK Indie band Red Guitars and has gigged and recorded ever since, heading up psychedelic rock band Loudhailer Electric Company. Originally part of Suns of Arqa, Quentin is the force behind world fusion medieval rave band Celtarabia, also featuring Lou on bass. He spent the year before lockdown touring Europe meeting with other top hurdy-gurdy players exchanging tunes, techniques and experiences. The band usually play the alternative festival circuit throughout the summer, but due to lockdown restrictions on live music joined forces to create Agent Starling and record European Howl.