Phillip Bracken was born in Gosford, Australia, and is known for his haunting voice, warm stage presence and a style that is as familiar as it is refreshing. Before settling in Sydney as a teenager, he spent many years travelling with his family. Perhaps it was these early travels that led him to relocate to Poland with his own family in 2013.

A self-proclaimed musical late bloomer, Bracken only started songwriting in his mid-twenties and released his first EP Everything Looks Better in Candlelight in 2008 at the age of 27. His blend of indie folk and ambient world music, which brought him together with Polish ethno-jazz icon Jacek Mielcarek, led to two live recordings, The Opole Session (2012) and Live at Radio Opole (2015), as well as further tours that compared him to Ben Harper, David Grey, Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley.

In September 2020, the Australian released his cross-genre debut album Wolf Ahead Tiger Behind. Supported by the masterful trio Mateusz Szemraj (Lion Shepherd, MOSAIC), Denis Dubiella (Hanimal), Wojciech Lubertowicz (Adam Strug, Masala Soundsystem), Wolf Ahead Tiger Behind embarks on a sonic journey through funk, ambient folk, alt-country, indie folk/rock and noir, in which delicate harmonies and ethereal banjos compete with powerful guitar lines and swirling organs.

As for the title, Bracken explained that it was inspired by a Chinese proverb. “It’s a reminder not to fear everything around us so that we don’t achieve anything.” It’s a proverb that echoes through the album’s themes and different sounds and, although it’s not a concept album, perhaps fits the timing of its release.

Although touring opportunities were limited, the pandemic still proved fruitful. The Australian’s music was featured at the 2021 Raindance Film Festival in London as part of the narration for ‘Not Alone’, a short film by Jay Finocchiaro and Mycel Scheuer. In early 2023, Bracken stepped out from behind his guitar to contribute to the album Riptide by Italian composer Silvia Furlani. After meeting in 2019, the two collaborated on several tracks, with the Australian taking on writing and vocal duties.

Bracken also made two releases of his own in 2023. The ambient ballad Les Moustiques, with an accompanying video clip, gave audiences their first glimpse of the songwriter behind the piano. Also released was Live Man / Hipisówka, an acoustic live album. Recorded and photographed by a good friend, Grzegorz Gołębiowski (Oko Ucho Recordings), the album captures one of a series of raw and intimate concerts Bracken played in the Bieszczady Mountains in 2021 and includes the previously unreleased track Something Beautiful and an acapella version of Not Alone.

Bracken and his band are currently working on their 2nd album, which is scheduled for release in 2024. Les Moustiques and Live Man / Hipisówka are now available on all streaming services.