"Hiking the West Coast Trail is tough for any nature enthusiast.

But when Victoria singer-songwriter Moira Campbell took on the trail, it was with a unique challenge: to compose the theme song for a CHUM TV documentary about the 77-kilometre trek by the time she finished it.

Campbell, 37, hummed her way through five days of challenging terrain, pulling herself up 30-metre vertical ladders hung against rock faces while carrying a 50-pound backpack.

'It was like a little walking meditation,' she recalled. 'Thinking about music sort of distracted from the physical challenge.'

When Campbell returned to Victoria she worked with producer Corwin Fox to transform her mental notes into the documentary’s theme song. The result, 'Flowing like a River,' is included on her new EP Climbing Mountains in the Night. "

'Corwin was amazing to work with. We really just speak the same language' she said. 'I could say to him, ‘I want this to sound like walking thorough the forest,’ and he knew just what I meant.'

What does walking through the forest sound like? 'Energized, but peaceful.'

Campbell creates this through a brave blend of musical styles, mixing electronic drum sequences, folky acoustic guitar and her polished pop vocals.

Many local artists joined her in the recordings, including Tanya Gillespie and Campbell’s sister and hiking partner, Rebecca Lambert.

While two songs on the six-track EP made their way onto the CHUM documentary, Survival of the Fittest: Stories from the West Coast Trail, many are inspired by nature. “Misty Blue Mountain” is about a summit she climbed in South America and “Storm” has sounds of running water in the background. She also has some love songs, thanks to a new relationship in her life: “Always fertile ground for songwriting.”

Overall, the EP has blissful tones of somebody happy with where they are. “I’d like people to feel like they’re sitting on a beach and feeling at peace when they listen to my music,” said Campbell.

While the songs on the EP and in the documentary are available in electronic form, she will perform with a live band at her EP launch this Saturday (July 19) at the Fernwood Inn (1302 Gladstone Ave.)

Showtime is 9 p.m., following a screening of Survival of the Fittest at 7:30. Tickets are $12 for the evening.

Sam Van Schie, Victoria News

"It seems UK-transplant Moira Campbell has decided to get back to her electronica roots with her latest EP, Climbing Mountains in the Night. Moira’s light-yet-strong voice plays alongside both banjos and breakbeats in this mostly nature-oriented six-song collection (two of the songs can be found on the soundtrack for West Coast Trail doc Survival of the Fittest, which will be screening at her CD release this weekend). Indeed, it’s the more electronic songs that shine on the record, particularly “Flowing Like a River,” which seamlessly leaps from drum and bass to bleeps and bloops to tabla. Big thumbs up to producer Corwin Fox on this one, too, as his sequencing is as much a player on this disc as Moira's voice is. Climbing Mountains continues to prove Moira is one of Victoria's lesser-known musical treasures. Let's hope that changes soon."

Amanda Farrell, Monday Mag

"Her melodies are touching and inspired, while her vocals are rich and soulful."

Lisa Szeker-Madden, Focus Magazine

"A world-class voice with a résumé to match."

Rick Dennis

"Fabulous voice and ethereal melodies. Lovely."

Cheryl MacPherson

"Great show. You make me cry!"

Rita Fromholtz

"Beautiful voice, beautiful songs."

Rachel Hellner

"Excellent songwriting."

Joel Fernandes

"Oh, she has an amazing voice and I love her lyrics!"

J Scott

Sept. 21st Moira Campbell

A world class voice with a resume to match. As Moira Lambert, she sang lead vocals on the dance remix version of Neil Young's Only Love Can Break Your Heart by British synth pop cult favs St. Ettiene

She wrote tunes with British dance club DJ/producer/recording artist Paul Oakenfold. she toured Europe with the late (great) Jeff Buckley.

And if you don't know who those folks are, Google 'em or log onto www.allmusic.com.

Moira moved from London to Victoia because she wanted "a safe place to raise my kids",and, no, she doesn't regret it.

Moira is currently studying at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Classically constructed originals blend seamlessly with tasty cover choices by Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake (Dan Anies' cello is the icing on the cake).

During the break Moira told me she had actually met Nick Drake's former landlady who played her some rare home recordings. Apparently Nick had a habit of singing into his tape recorder after coming home from the pub

If you are a fan of the reclusive and revered UK singer/songwriter this is equivalent to hearing Beethoven play the ninth.

(And if you don't know who Nick Drake is, then you know where to look.)

Rick Dennis
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Coming Up Roses (independent)

File this one under "another talented local artist you never knew about." Turns out fairly recent UK transplant Moira Lambert has collaborated with the likes of Paul Oakenfold and toured alongside Jeff Buckley; now, she's releasing her first solo disc, and it's a pretty good effort if you like breathy, acoustic guitar-based girl pop (which I do). Celtic, Spanish and classical influences are mixed in alongside some strong instrumentation by the likes of Dan Anies, Evan Rabby and Andreas Kreischer, and a few covers (Nick Drake's "Northern Sky", Steve Winwood's "Can't Find My Way Home") add enough familiarity to keep you listening . . . although I can't say I was thrilled with the inclusion of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," which is possibly the most over-covered song around. Actually, Nick Drake is a good comparison for Moira, as she has that same "rainy day" feeling going on here. Interesting that she's got such an electronica history, as there's little evidence of that here. Would be good to hear what she can do with a strong backbeat, but you can't blame someone for branching out into new territory.

By -John Threlfall
Monday Magazine Review
Oct 18 2006