Green Man 2026: Psych-pop artist Pictish Trail talks new album and playing every Green Man Festival to date

Amelia Jones

Pictish Trail is the musical project of Isle of Eigg-based songwriter Johnny Lynch, an artist known for his distinctive blend of lo-fi psych-pop, experimental textures and off-kilter folk songwriting. This August, he will take the stage at Green Man for the 24th time.

Lynch’s discography stretches back to the early Secret Soundz Vol. 1 & 2 releases, followed by breakthrough albums including Future Echoes, Thumb World and Island Family.

His latest record Life Slime continues that evolution, shaped by collaboration with producer Mike Lindsay and exploring themes of emotional upheaval, transformation and personal reflection, while still embracing the surreal humour and sonic curiosity that define his work.

Alongside his solo output, Lynch has been a constant presence on the UK live circuit, touring internationally and performing at major festivals including Glastonbury, Field Day and Green Man, where he has appeared at every edition to date. He is also the founder of Lost Map Records, championing a wide range of independent artists.

He spoke to Nation.Cymru about his new album, his creative journey and his long-standing relationship with Green Man Festival ahead of this year’s event

2026 has already been a big year for you with the release of Life Slime. How are you feeling now that the album’s out in the world and people have had time to live with it?

I’m really pleased with how people have responded to it. What was unusual about Life Slime was that it had a soft launch first – I released it at live shows and through my webshop in late 2025 before the full release in April this year, so some listeners have actually been living with these songs for quite a while already.

In an age where music can feel a bit disposable, I wanted to give the album room to breathe. It’s been lovely seeing it find a second wave of listeners, and now I’m excited to take it to festivals and more live shows over the summer.

You’ve described Life Slime as your most personal record to date and “a breakup record”. Was there anything about making such an honest album that surprised you?

What surprised me most was that the songs appeared at all. Before I started writing Life Slime, I’d reached a point of complete creative burnout and genuinely wasn’t sure if I had another record in me.

Once the songs started arriving, they came quite naturally, and I’m really proud of where they ended up. The most rewarding part has been hearing from listeners who’ve connected with the album in their own way. It’s been incredibly moving to receive messages from people sharing their own experiences, because that’s always the hope: that a personal record becomes something other people can find themselves in too.

Battery Pack feels like one of the most intense moments on the record. At what point did you realise it needed to sound as explosive as it does?

I tend to write albums like jigsaw puzzles, looking for the next piece that makes the whole thing feel complete. As Life Slime took shape, I realised it needed some energy and bite to balance some of the more reflective songs.

‘Battery Pack; was the answer to that. It’s probably the most unruly track on the record – menacing, playful and a little bit ridiculous. Live, it’s the point where the whole band turns everything up and disappears into a wall of feedback and noise.

Looking back now that the album is out in the world, do you hear it as a document of a specific period in your life, or do the songs continue to evolve in meaning?

The songs are still new enough that a lot of the feelings behind them remain very real to me. At the same time, writing and recording them helped me process those experiences, so they’ve already become part of moving on.

I don’t think songs change meaning so much as they become snapshots of who you were when you wrote them. Sometimes I’ll perform an older song and feel briefly reconnected to a younger version of myself. Even when I don’t fully recognise that person anymore, I find myself wanting to protect them a little.

You’ve played every edition of Green Man Festival. That’s a pretty extraordinary relationship with a festival. What keeps bringing you back?

To be honest, it blows my mind as well. I’ve been going back to Green Man every year since 2003, apart from the COVID interruption, and it’s become a constant in my life.

The simple answer is that it’s just a brilliantly curated festival. The line-up is always adventurous and full of discoveries, the setting is stunning, and the audience genuinely cares about music. Over the years I’ve watched it grow from a relatively small gathering into a major festival, but it’s never lost its identity.

There’s a confidence about Green Man that I really admire. People don’t buy tickets because of one headliner or a huge sponsor advertising presence; they buy them because they trust the festival itself. That’s a rare thing, and it’s why I keep coming back.

Do you have a favourite Green Man memory that captures what makes the festival unique?

It seems slightly ridiculous, having been at every Green Man, to pick a memory from last year’s festival. But honestly, the run of CMAT into Underworld on the main stage was one of the most memorable things I’ve ever seen there.

On paper, it looked like an unlikely double bill, but it was absolutely perfect. The weather had been glorious during the day, the sun was starting to set and the field was packed. It was the busiest I’ve ever seen the Mountain Stage area. There was this incredible sense of collective joy as thousands of people completely surrendered to both performances – people hugging each other, and smiling.

That’s Green Man at its best for me: adventurous programming, and a crowd that’s willing to completely go for it.

After appearing at every Green Man so far, does returning feel like coming home, or is there still a sense of occasion?

Every time the booking comes in, I’m genuinely thrilled. I’m a huge fan of the festival, not just as a performer but as an attendee, and I’m immensely proud to have been part of its journey for so long. It’s easily the highlight of every year, and I’m looking forward to partying hard again this summer!

After such a personal album, what are you most looking forward to about bringing these songs to audiences at Green Man and beyond this summer?
Green Man was actually one of the first places where people heard some of these songs, as I played a few of them there last year while the album was still taking shape. Since then, we’ve toured the record extensively and added a brilliant new member to the band, Robin Dawson, on violin, so I’m excited to bring the full version of the show back to the festival.

Although Life Slime is a very personal album, the songs really come alive on stage. There’s a lot of rhythm, noise and energy in them, and with our Friday afternoon slot in the Far Out Tent, I’m hoping we can help kick-start the weekend with a healthy dose of psychedelic krautrock chaos.

You can listen to Life Slime here. Pictish Trail will play Green Man festival on Friday 21 August.