‘Over the Wall’ – A new album from HMP Barlinnie
This September, Vox Liminis spent three days in HMP Barlinnie, working with a group of eight people – including prison officers and members of the Unbound community. Building on existing musical skills, the sessions invited everyone to push themselves into new creative territory by writing, shaping, and performing original songs.
It was agreed from the outset that the songs would form an album centring on mental health, to mark Mental Health Week in Barlinnie in October. Alongside the music, the release also features original artwork created for each song to bring a visual element to support the stories and words.
The session was a little different from most. The group was already quite established, regularly attending music sessions in HMP Barlinnie’s Wellbeing Centre. We were made to feel extremely welcome in the space with great energy from all of those involved! Everyone came with some experience of playing guitar – from beginners to more seasoned players – and there was a real confidence and enthusiasm to give things a go. Ordinarily, Vox songwriting sessions come with a great deal of structure and process for a whole variety of reasons. While day one held a lot of this structure, by day two we were agreeing together how to keep moving forward towards recording the songs.
The energy throughout the three days was remarkable. Everyone threw themselves into the challenge, supporting each other through the stops and starts of lyric writing, melody-building, and sharing personal stories through music. What emerged was not only a set of songs, but a strong sense of camaraderie and encouragement.
The songs themselves explore a wide range of experiences and emotions. Themes of love and loss sit alongside reflections on friendship and hope, with lyrics reaching out to reassure others in difficult times. Mental health and solidarity were woven throughout, reminding us that no one is alone in their struggles. At the same time, there were songs about reflection and growth, and moving beyond a sentence to become better partners, fathers, and men. What unites them all is a sense of honesty and care for the people they were written for, and with.
The sessions created a space where different voices came together, listened, and created something new. For those inside, for staff, and for members of Unbound, the process was a reminder of what is created, physically and emotionally, when people are given the chance to share their stories and work side by side.
The songs are now available to listen to across streaming platforms and on our website – here!
Individual artwork was also created for each song by artist Gabi Fröden, and Darlin’ Please artwork by Guinevere:
