mUmbo is the professional name of songwriting duo Doug MacGowan and Emma Semple. The two UK artists first joined forces on their critically acclaimed debut album “I Fly With Swallows.” Although the project is new, the two artists have both been active for years.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s Doug MacGowan worked the UK folk and blues circuit. In that time he released two CDs and toured throughout the country, playing alongside such artists as Wizz Jones, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Robin Williamson and Kate Rusby. His mUmbo cohort, Emma Semple is a classically trained singer, violinist and viola player who studied Visual and Performing Arts in college and performed in a number of musical and theater projects before embarking on her own solo career as both a musical and visual artist.
“Right Here On The Ground” is the brand new single and video from mUmbo. Released worldwide to all major streaming services on February 18, 2022. The track opens on Peter Gabriel-style percussive synth groove riding a funky Hip-hop beat as Doug lays down some smoking hot electric electric guitar. That rhythmic, electronic Blues groove remains at the heart of the song throughout.
Emma enters the mix and alternates between a cool jazzy melodic rap in the vers and and dreamy, ethereal vocals and in the chorus. She trades lines MacGowan’s fabulously blue guitar. Layers of digital delay give both the singer and guitarist a trippy psychedelic vibe as the singer laments the lost opportunities of supposed goodwill born of the pandemic.
… despite all the worry of COVID, there was still an underlying hope that from all of this there could be a change for the better emerging. Subsequently though… there seem to be missed opportunities for a better, fairer and more caring world
Emma Semple
Check out the “Right Here On the Ground” video below. You can also hear the song on the Deep Indie Dive playlist, or listen on your favorite streaming service. Follow the links below to connect with the mUmbo. Get on their socials and get in the loop on all of the music to come from this diversely talented duo.