In Home (is a folk-rock mixtape), Oaken Lee delivers a deeply reflective and tender collection of songs that explore the ever-shifting idea of what “home” means. This is not just an album—it’s a journey. Using a rich mix of acoustic instrumentation, gritty textures, and ambient field recordings, Lee invites listeners into a cinematic, nostalgic, and at times haunting world that feels at once intimate and expansive.
The record unfolds like a mixtape passed between friends, filled with sonic postcards from different moments in time. Lee blends traditional folk storytelling with modern production, drawing from a range of influences—from the warmth of Graceland and the introspection of Astral Weeks, to the experimental spirit of artists like Sparklehorse, EELS, and more contemporary voices such as Cassandra Jenkins. There’s even a hint of lo-fi beat tape charm throughout, giving the project a unique rhythm that keeps it grounded in the present.
Opening with songs like Pick a Dead Celebrity and One Summer Gone, the album starts in the glow of youthful rebellion—when leaving home feels like breaking free into the unknown. These tracks capture that bittersweet mix of hope and hesitation that defines early adulthood. The instrumentation here is lush but unpretentious—acoustic guitars lead the way, with layered field recordings adding subtle depth and movement.
If you’re looking for a track to sum up the record’s emotional and sonic heart, look no further than Christopher St. This previously unreleased standout plays like the final scene of a road movie: a couple hiding in a mountain cabin, police sirens in the distance, the air thick with tension and longing. It’s vivid, cinematic, and charged with feeling. Lee’s ability to paint such a specific image with his lyrics while letting the music build a world around it is what makes Home… so special.
As the album progresses, the emotional tone matures. In Where Now?, Lee shifts focus outward, asking difficult questions about our collective home—planet Earth. It’s one of the more urgent moments on the mixtape, with a subtle undercurrent of environmental anxiety that doesn’t preach but still lands with weight.
The record slowly bends toward the quieter realization that maybe, just maybe, the idea of “home” isn’t just what we leave behind—it’s something we return to, redefine, and eventually rebuild. By the time we reach the title track Home, we’re no longer running away, but trying to make sense of what it means to belong somewhere again. The final song, Where the Leaves Don’t Fall, is a gentle and moving homecoming. It closes the album with grace, like a door softly shutting behind someone who’s finally found peace.
Home (is a folk-rock mixtape) was recorded and mixed at Lee’s home in Tottenham over the course of two years. Made during odd hours—weekends, late nights, early mornings—the album’s slow creation mirrors its thoughtful themes. With field recordings captured across the UK and Europe, the whole project feels like a handmade scrapbook of places and feelings. It’s clear that this record wasn’t rushed; it was lived.
That personal touch comes through in every detail—from the gentle hum of ambient sounds to the contrast between acoustic melodies and gritty, distorted bass. The album’s DIY nature doesn’t hold it back—it gives it life.
With Home (is a folk-rock mixtape), Oaken Lee proves that quiet music can still speak volumes. This is a beautiful, resonant work about youth, memory, place, and growth. It isn’t flashy or polished for the sake of radio, but it’s honest, warm, and affecting.
For fans of thoughtful folk-rock, experimental storytelling, or anyone who’s ever left a home and tried to find a new one, this album will feel like a companion on the journey.
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