“Calgary is so expensive that the only way you can have ownership over something is if you make it or write it,” says Mark Hamilton, singer-songwriter, filmmaker and brainchild of Canadian folk-pop darlings Woodpigeon.

Home is a recurring theme for Hamilton, whose musical career has been a scattering of success throughout North America and Europe, where he first got his start as a performer.

“I don't even know if I have [a home] anymore. I think it's just where the people are, the people you want to be with, that's what I make into my home now,” he said from somewhere on the prairies, as Woodpigeon make their way eastward to London's Aeolian Hall on February 12.

years ago Hamilton's home was Scotland, where he first created Woodpigeon Divided By Antelope Equals Squirrel, an instrumental band borne out of sheer amusement. But positive reception welcomed the idea of songwriting, and upon returning to his home of Calgary, Alberta, Hamilton began taking to writing and recording with amazing zeal, leading to three CDs and seven EPs since 2005. They're songs that tell the story of his travels, and accompany him on tour, in a sense.

“I always think songwriting is like building a space or an object, so a song can be a little house or whatever you want it to be really... It documents the places you've been.”

Thus, Hamilton has fabricated for himself a split personality, divided between North American and European tendencies. And though his music gets most often compared to American artists like Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear and Iron and Wine, Hamilton's biggest crowds still reside in the U.K. Even his latest effort, 2010's Die Stadt Muzikanten is loosely based on a famous German folktale.

“There are parts of Canada that feel like Europe, but in terms of lifestyle I like the European one a lot better. But at the same time I was raised in a pretty European house, so to me, I'm used to a lot of those things.”

And though Hamilton described Canada as somewhat of a happy medium between the European and American cultures, he expressed a certain disheartening at Canada's international modesty, especially in matters of the arts.

“We've forever been in the shadow of three cultures. We've been in the shadow of British culture, we've been in the shadow of French culture and we've been in the shadow of American culture, and to some extent we're in the shadow of indigenous culture... [so] I think it becomes common for Canadian acts to become quite successful somewhere else first.”

Hamilton was quick to clarify himself, though: “I don't know why I said that because I'm not quite successful” he laughed, “But I think you have to go somewhere to be noticed before Canada says ‘Oh yeah, you are pretty good!'”

Still, on a local level, many Canadian cities have been creating their own vibrant music scenes, largely through the use of collectives. From the Oh! Collective in London (whose flagship band Olenka and the Autumn Lovers will be performing with Woodpigeon) to Hamilton's own scene in Calgary.

“I usually find a lot of not-Toronto cities have really healthy scenes because it's the only way they can create something for themselves. The only way I've been able to make my space is through songs that aren't tangible, but I think there's a big group of us that were doing it for a number of years, and then a few of us got noticed and started going around the world.”

Now on his first “true Canadian tour,” Hamilton is discovering his music accepted by those residing within the same country. And let's hope it stays that way.

Woodpigeon will be performing with Olenka and the Autumn Lovers and Katie Stelmanis on February 12. Tickets are $13 in advance, $15 at the door.