Black Feathers fly at the White Horse

The ability to write songs that sound both ancient and modern is a rare thing, the product of an arcane art of weaving in traditional influences so thoroughly that they become the warp and weft of fresh creations.

The Black Feathers, made up of United Kingdom musicians Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler, are two such talents. The Gloucestershire duo performs at the White Horse Black Mountain on Thursday, May 26.

“Once in a blue moon, the whole soars far above the sum of its parts. That’s what happens when the Black Feathers perform live,” the band’s promotional material asserts. Hughes and Chandler became aware of that after collaborating on several projects, becoming musical and life partners in 2012.

On the advice of respected music producer Youth (Dido, Orb), they sought out old melodies from many rich sources to form the bedrock of the Black Feathers’ sound. British folk, Americana and acoustic indie rock sensibilities coexist comfortably in their musical world, with Hughes’ guitar work buoying the kind of gorgeously seamless vocal harmonies often heard only in family bands.

The Black Feathers have toured the U.K. and the U.S., partly in support of their most recent CD, “Soaked to the Bone.”

Warp and weft

Who: Black Feathers

When: 7:30 p.m. May 26

Where: White Horse Black Mountain

Cost: $10