Fish And Scale – Tapestry (2026)
Following his pure passion for music, the journey and adventure of creative musical expression was never a choice for Rolan Wälzlein; it was a calling. Describing his music as “independent folk music with a mystical touch”, the German singer-songwriter captures meaningful themes in a blend of smoky, soulful, unique melodies – all laced with powerful, poetic lyrics. We came across Wälzlein’s solo project, Fish And Scale, a few years ago; today, we take a gander at his most recent single, ‘Tapestry’.
The first release since his 2023 EP, Wonderful, ‘Tapestry’ is, in a word, strange. Sparse and barebones, but with the rich combination of a piano, guitar and drums, the track is a tapestry in the making. Not necessarily colourful in the bright, exuberant kaleidoscopic reds, blues and greens of a tapestry; rather, each element is a shade of grey with the vocals adding a slice of subdued white. The track is dark and weighty, with a slight sense of gloom in its sound – an eclectic brand of folk with avant-garde sensibilities.
An aspect I find interesting is how the dark weightiness of ‘Tapestry’ is on display, but the message of empowerment, strength, resilience and survival also exists. As if having a conversation with Fish And Scale, his off-kilter voice stands tall and prominent. His voice is the focus, and the music is just an underground feature. Brilliantly arranged to meet the intimate theme. Fish And Scale explains:
“‘Tapestry’ is a cinematic journey processing a formative childhood trauma: open heart surgery. The lyrics contrast the sterile fear of the hospital with the surreal hope a child finds in small details, like a yellow dog on the wallpaper… Authentic storytelling about survival, vulnerability, and healing.”
Fish And Scale’s ‘Tapestry’ might leave you a little ruffled and questioning what you just heard. Then again, its obscurity also hits home with an odd sincerity.
In addition to the single, Fish And Scale released an official music video for ‘Tapestry’. You can view the video below and/or on his YouTube channel.
Find out more about Fish And Scale on his official website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
