Damselfly - V.O.T.T.O.L.

[Rake]

Hi all. My debut album is now out if you fancy having a listen. It spans a lot of my influences from 80s electronica / synthwave, ambient, post and krautrock, with even a dash of neoclassical thrown in for good measure (and of course you can have an added bit of fun with 'spot the BSP-influenced bits'). Anyway, I'm proud of it and I hope some of you may enjoy it. Cheers.

https://damselfly1.bandcamp.com/album/vottol

[Blackout]

I have bought this CD and I thoroughly recommend it. I was listening to it last night while looking at photos I took walking in the Sussex Downs in January on a crisp cold weekend with one of those clear blue winter skies, obviously prompted by the fact that I know Rake/Damselfly is from down that way, but still, particularly in ambient / instrumental music I do love it when sounds have a sense of place about them.

Sorry Rake if my approval actually serves to put other people off :)

If I was still writing words about music in the hope it may help people I would say for fans of Ulrich Schnauss and the like.

[Rake]

I have bought this CD and I thoroughly recommend it. I was listening to it last night while looking at photos I took walking in the Sussex Downs in January on a crisp cold weekend with one of those clear blue winter skies, obviously prompted by the fact that I know Rake/Damselfly is from down that way, but still, particularly in ambient / instrumental music I do love it when sounds have a sense of place about them.

Sorry Rake if my approval actually serves to put other people off :)

If I was still writing words about music in the hope it may help people I would say for fans of Ulrich Schnauss and the like.

Please don't apologise Blackout, I doubt very much anything you write will be anything other than positive in that regard, so thank you. Really pleased you like the album and that you have that sense of place to go with it. For fans of this sort of thing, The Harrow Ways was inspired by the oldest pathway / road in England that stretches across part of the South Downs (also known as The Harroway).

There are other local references to my part of the world in there too - A Hunter Gathers being a meditation on the 11 victims of the Shoreham Air Show crash, a tragedy that took the life of one of my best friend's younger brother, and Boar's Head Waltz is inspired by The Battle of Boar's Head in WWI, at which there was a terrible loss of life for the men of The Royal Sussex Regiment (Lowther's Lambs) the day before the main Somme offensive started. I hope all this doesn't make the album sound too maudlin (my fault - V.O.T.T.O.L. stands for Variations on the Theme of Loss, not the most uplifting of titles!), and as I hope Blackout would agree,although it has moments of melancholy, overall I think it's quite an uplifting album.

[TheAlex]

It is quite Schnauss-y at times - not the sort of stuff I'd usually choose to listen to, but I remember liking a track of yours from a couple of years ago, and I like A Hunter Gathers a lot - it's like a mix of some of my favourite tracks from Esben and the Witch, Team Ghost, Grails and Collapse Under The Empire (some of the more ambient and darker bits of their post-rock). I like that slightly dark edge in things (whatever the medium). It takes on more significance after reading about your inspiration.

What do you think about being compared to other artist/bands? I always find it odd and often don't know where people are coming from (but everyone hears different things), but I also find it complimentary, appreciate any comments, and sometimes it even gives me someone new to check out. As individuals in a band we regularly listen to barely any of the artists we've been compared to. I'm always unsure about mentioning other bands when I know the artist will be reading what I've written (but don't let that change your answer!). One of my favourite ever reviews started something like "I'm not sure what to make of this. It's like slowed-down Pixies..." - but it was a favourable 7/10 overall.

I like it when you rock it up (compared to the rest of the album) on The Girl With A River's Name - again, that reminds me of some of the bands I mentioned above.

If the track prices were 50p, I'd buy those two. I know that sounds tight, but I have no job at the moment (mostly through choice, so don't feel sorry for me - although it's difficult having only been to one gig so far this year, and that was Sophie Ellis-Bextor (surprisingly excellent)!).

[Rake]

It is quite Schnauss-y at times - not the sort of stuff I'd usually choose to listen to, but I remember liking a track of yours from a couple of years ago, and I like A Hunter Gathers a lot - it's like a mix of some of my favourite tracks from Esben and the Witch, Team Ghost, Grails and Collapse Under The Empire (some of the more ambient and darker bits of their post-rock). I like that slightly dark edge in things (whatever the medium). It takes on more significance after reading about your inspiration.

What do you think about being compared to other artist/bands? I always find it odd and often don't know where people are coming from (but everyone hears different things), but I also find it complimentary, appreciate any comments, and sometimes it even gives me someone new to check out. As individuals in a band we regularly listen to barely any of the artists we've been compared to. I'm always unsure about mentioning other bands when I know the artist will be reading what I've written (but don't let that change your answer!). One of my favourite ever reviews started something like "I'm not sure what to make of this. It's like slowed-down Pixies..." - but it was a favourable 7/10 overall.

I like it when you rock it up (compared to the rest of the album) on The Girl With A River's Name - again, that reminds me of some of the bands I mentioned above.

If the track prices were 50p, I'd buy those two. I know that sounds tight, but I have no job at the moment (mostly through choice, so don't feel sorry for me - although it's difficult having only been to one gig so far this year, and that was Sophie Ellis-Bextor (surprisingly excellent)!).

Hi - pm sent.

Really glad you like A Hunter.. and The Girl..., and it's always nice to have feedback from people who's preferred musical tastes are not necessarily aligned with mine. Personally I really like comparisons with other artists, even when some of them leave me scratching my head a bit, but as you say - everyone hears things differently. It is indeed a good way of being exposed to new music too, I've certainly gained a fair few favourite bands from this. I like the idea of a 'slowed down Pixies' so I'll check your stuff out whilst I'm at the day job today (that's what Fridays are for). 7/10 is none-too shabby indeed.

It's possible the next album will be a little more to your tastes overall. I've started working on the first couple of tracks, and the intention is that it will be a little starker, darker and more direct than Vottol, though how it will evolve is anyone's guess at this stage. I certainly don't want to just repeat anyway. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers!

[Rake]

Lovely album review from our very own Lancs / Richard Foster here....

http://louderthanwar.com/damselfly-vottol/

[Rake]

My first foray into YouTube Land, a stills video featuring some of my Sussex countryside photography and stuff......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXpG7_cQSJs&t=5s

[TheAlex]

linda trabajo

[Rake]

linda trabajo

:o)

[Rake]

Now on Spotify here

https://open.spotify.com/album/307CFX6ifUnwbnvANy0CVf

[Rake]

Hi all. A Hunter Gathers EP is now out as a download via Bandcamp. Features an alternative mix of the title track plus two previously unreleased tracks from the Vottol sessions. If you fancy a listen it's here..

https://damselfly1.bandcamp.com/album/a ... gathers-ep

[cawseetiger]

I have bought this CD and I thoroughly recommend it. I was listening to it last night while looking at photos I took walking in the Sussex Downs in January on a crisp cold weekend with one of those clear blue winter skies, obviously prompted by the fact that I know Rake/Damselfly is from down that way, but still, particularly in ambient / instrumental music I do love it when sounds have a sense of place about them.

Sorry Rake if my approval actually serves to put other people off :)

If I was still writing words about music in the hope it may help people I would say for fans of Ulrich Schnauss and the like.

Well I've just bought it off the back of your review :)

[cawseetiger]

Now on Spotify here

https://open.spotify.com/album/307CFX6ifUnwbnvANy0CVf

My physical release turned up on Friday.....lovely/cracking/chilled tunes.

[Rake]

Now on Spotify here

https://open.spotify.com/album/307CFX6ifUnwbnvANy0CVf

My physical release turned up on Friday.....lovely/cracking/chilled tunes.

Thank you very much, glad you like it.

I've just finished mixing and mastering the next album which is a bit of a departure into more post-rock territory, though keeping elements of the sound from Vottol. It's definitely noisier in parts, using guitars on some tracks and indulging my passion for controlled feedback, with more live drums and a sprinkling of strings too. I plan to release this probably around late Summer time.

Cheers!

[Blackout]

I'm looking forward to this already. First album has seen a lot of stereo time in our house.