On 5 August, Longplay will host a magical night featuring three beautiful female musicians: Taylah Carroll, Francesca Mountfort and Joyce Prescher.

Taylah Carroll

With a debut EP under her belt and another to be released in 2018, compelling Melbourne songstress Taylah Carroll positions herself as a wholly honest and personal lyricist with an authentic aura and ethereal sound. Her debut EP Saudade, which was independently released in November 2016, consists of five love songs that profess not only her deep connection to and interest in humanity, but also her devotion to the natural world. Throughout Saudade, Carroll’s intimate exploration of her subject matter is enveloped by an overarching sense of longing for understanding and harmony.

Carroll’s early musical influences such as Tori Amos, Radiohead, and Mazzy Star manifest in the soulful strength of her guitar and piano playing, which play a key part in her musical style, and further in the energy and emphasis Carroll places on her lyrics. As odes to her own experiences, her lyrics are personal poetry: revealing and poised with precision amongst carefully curated arrangements. Taylah draws on the glow of contemporary artists such as Sarah Blasko, Angel Olsen and Aldous Harding, while defiantly carving her own path with her unique voice and vision, Carroll is a true creative and local gem who seeks to constantly grow and draw inspiration from the world and give back through her music.
https://www.taylahcarroll.com

Francesca Mountfort

New Zealander Francesca Mountfort is a classically trained cellist and composer based in Melbourne, Australia. Her unique brand of music incorporates classical, electronic and ambient elements into a melting pot that transcends time and place.

Francesca’s compositions range from minimal and spacious to dramatic and expansive. The classical nature of the cello is embraced and built upon, using subtle electronics and recording techniques, adding complex layers and effects. In performance, Francesca has collaborated with many artists in different mediums including dance, puppetry, illustrated animation and live video projection.

She first performed in 2004 as Nervous Doll Dancing, which remained her stage name for over a decade, and under which she independently released three solo albums Eidolon (2012), Aphelion (2009) and Nervous Doll Dancing (2005). Francesca’s latest release, Swift & Raven (2016), which she recorded at Smooch Records with Josh Delaney, is the first album to be first released under her own name. The music is an exploration of raven spirituality, inspired by folklore beliefs that the raven is a mythical creature, a mediator animal between life and death, able to pass between realms.
https://francescamountfort.com

Joyce Prescher

Joyce Prescher is a Dutch-born folk artist now based in Melbourne. With her poetic lyrics, haunting melodies and a voice that really gets under your skin she has mesmerized audiences in Australia as well as the Netherlands ever since she was a little girl. Her stories often personal yet told in such a powerful and heartfelt manner that a listener can’t help but relate. Her music makes you feel like you know her or want to know her and maybe you are in fact a little like her.

Joyce has been performing as a solo artist since 2013 and has slowly been growing her fanbase in Australia. In 2017 she released her debut album 'Home', with her album launch at a packed Toff in Town. PBS listed ‘Home’ in their Top 10 albums of the week and the album received radio play on many community stations. On the album she meditates on the hardship of living away from home, identity, love and death. Her sound tells of her love of folk music, with hints of alt-country and Americana. Her songs are made to listen to whilst wrapped in a warm blanket, in front of a fireplace, with a glass of red in your hand.