Martin Lloyd Howard Captures the Sound of Surrey in “Surrey Bells”

A winter morning in the Surrey countryside can be remarkably quiet, until the sound of church bells begins to travel through the open air. From one distant point to another, the echoes seem to answer each other, turning the surrounding landscape into part of the music. That sense of distance and connection is at the heart of Martin Lloyd Howard’s “Surrey Bells.” Released on 21 September 2026, the instrumental single is a carefully shaped guitar composition inspired by the surroundings Howard knows personally. Rather than relying on a conventional song structure, he allows tone, resonance and space to carry the piece forward, creating music that feels closely connected to its setting.

Recorded at home on his Tanglewood steel string guitar, “Surrey Bells” features two separately recorded guitar parts, both played in DADGAD tuning. This choice gives the composition an open, resonant character, while the positioning of the two performances creates an appealing sense of depth. One guitar feels closer to the listener, while the other seems to emerge from further across the landscape. The call and response between the instruments becomes the defining feature of the recording. Howard is not attempting to reproduce church bells literally. Instead, he translates the sensation of hearing them across a valley into the language of the guitar. The approach gives the track a reflective quality while retaining enough movement to keep the arrangement engaging.

Howard’s musical identity has been shaped by a broad range of influences, from John Dowland and Julian Bream to Davey Graham, Martin Simpson, Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore. That mixture of classical discipline, folk expression and acoustic rock sensibility can be felt in his willingness to let the playing breathe. What makes “Surrey Bells” particularly appealing is its sense of place. It is personal without becoming overly sentimental, and atmospheric without losing its musical substance. Howard has taken a simple visual idea and transformed it into an instrumental piece that allows listeners to form their own picture of the landscape.

Explore more from Martin Lloyd Howard: Discover “Surrey Bells” and more of his original guitar music on Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube. Follow his work across these platforms and stay connected with his latest instrumental releases.