Coming straight outta Tottenham after grinding for a decade and taking a few years off, Oaken Lee (that’s Jake, for the record – a Shropshire lad turned North London fixture) has dropped something genuinely special. “Home (is a folk-rock mixtape)” is his whole mission, his vibe, and one hell of a song collection that rocks with heart, brains, and this wickedly cool sound mix.
The concept’s absolutely killer and hits you right where you live: that messy, beautiful, totally contradictory dance we all do with “home.” It kicks off with pure youthful rebellion and that wide-eyed escape you hear in tracks like “Pick a Dead Celebrity” and the gorgeously nostalgic “One Summer Gone.” Lee nails that feeling of tearing away, that wild rush of freedom. You’re along for the whole ride – the adventures, the screw-ups, the looking back at what was perfectly called “the yawning ruins of our youth” – and it all builds toward that realisation in the title track: we usually end up trying to rebuild exactly what we ran from. And yeah, “Where Now?” throws a crucial surprise shift, raising the concern for theworry about our biggest home we’ve got – the planet itself.. Smart. Necessary. move. We need that. Rocky as hell in how it hits you. The finale, “Where the Leaves Don’t Fall,” delivers that ultimate homecoming, leaving you satisfied but maybe a little wistful too.
“One Summer Gone” hits you with this gorgeous, sun-soaked sadness that’s somehow still got you moving. The lyrics (“Lazing round / Up on hungry hill… Falling through July / Drunk by the time you’d… ONE SUMMER GONE”) paint these vivid pictures of lazy summer days that’ve slipped away – you know that feeling, right? Like flipping through old photos and getting that bittersweet pang. But here’s the thing – the groove keeps pushing forward, making it impossible not to nod along. Then there’s “A Mountain (an Echo)” – wow, this one’s a knockout. Lee called it his tribute to “lost friends and faded memories,” and man, you can feel it. You’ve got touches of The Bees’ experimental stuff mixed with – get this – hints of Genesis’s “I Can’t Dance.” Plus, they’ve taken that gospel power from classics and flipped it into something nostalgic and fresh.
“Christopher Street” is spacious and chiming, its story edgy and intriguing. “The Longest Way (to Say Goodbye)” drifts in with this hazy, almost dreamlike feel – proof that Lee can bring down the volume without losing any fire. “The Rooster and the Shepherd” and “Reach Out” were killer singles that kicked things off, while “Where Now?” drops its environmental message with “gentle but undeniable revolutionary spirit.” That spirit runs through every track like a heartbeat. “Pick a Dead Celebrity” nails those shaky first steps into grown-up life – you know, when you’re wide-eyed and maybe scared out of your mind. And the title track, “Home”? That’s where we’re headed, folks – the hard-earned wisdom after all those miles on the road.
This isn’t some stiff concept album, it’s “an album of concepts.” We’re talking a seamless ride held together by an extraordinary mashup of analogue folk traditions and digital beats, personal sentiments, and recognizable, relatable stories. It’s what happens when an artist lives a little, takes a breather, and comes back swinging. Jake’s flying solo as Oaken Lee here – he’s the mastermind, the muscle, and the soul behind this sonic “Home.” The guy played everything, recorded it, mixed it (those J Flowers credits –Yeah, that’s his initials). Pete Maher stepped in for mastering duties, adding that final shine this baby deserves.
This is folk-rock for people who think folk-rock might be boring. It’s got brains, heart, groove, grit, and enough electrified energy to power a small venue. It’s storytelling that rocks, riffage that tells a story. “Home (is a folk-rock mixtape)” arrived July 4th, 2025, on that most deliciously retro of formats – cassette tape (grab it via Bandcamp) – and all major streaming platforms. The singles are out there paving the way. Oaken Lee has built something real, something powerful, and something undeniably rocking right where the heart is. Welcome home, Jake. This one slaps.