Taking to heart the bare seeds of Bates’ last solo set (Unsung), this album is both an extension and continuation of that music. Again, it is very much Bates’ solitary work, focusing on voice & acoustic guitar, placing a special emphasis upon The Song.

Nevertheless, the album offers a far greater degree of additional accompaniment, featuring some intensifying contributions from Elizabeth S. on vocals, dulcimer, banjo – and also a lone contribution from Peter Becker, who adds a distinctly harp-like sounding ukulele. Chiefly however, it is the orchestral colourings of Bates’ co-producer Alan Trench that add a unique flavour to this album.

Arriving Fire is simply “the distance between inner and outer worlds – the spaces that surge and live between setting out and the journey itself … (where) … the traveler never truly arrives … because, to arrive is to complete and put an end to what you are striving for – and that is not the aim, ever.” Bates’ often private language and imagery is explored deftly here within this collection of “November Songs” … songs about transition and exploration of the spirit …