About

DISCONNECT - RECONNECT

I experienced a 5 and a half year bout of severe social estrangement where I could no longer connect with people as I previously had done. My senses became hyperactive, I became hyper-aware of surroundings, and I became hyper-aware of myself and others. My social state was one of constant discomfort and tension. This turned into awkwardness and anxiety. When I wasn’t gritting my teeth through it at work and through paying gigs, I pretty much went into a state of social shutdown and isolation. At its worst point I thought I’d never truly connect with another human being properly again. I think this in turn probably psychologically fed into some past social challenges I had faced as a kid, which recycled a sense of doom. After the EP’s I was receiving some exciting calls from major touring agencies in the UK and the USA expressing their interest in Cursor Major, but at the time, I was more concerned with how I could best manage my predicament, as I was seriously considering how to best live a hermit lifestyle.

During the lay-off, I ceased recording/arranging songs as it felt pointless. I did carry on popping ideas down on my phone as voice memos - I guess that true cathartic process never has to stop, regardless if you intend them to be heard or not. I think ‘songwriting’ in its true form, helps me make sense of things in a meaningful process, and I tapped back into that during this time.

There is hopeful news. I’ve started to work my way out of my predicament, step by step, and in the meantime me and my partner, Kelly, had a child named Evie (she’s 1 years old at time of writing). Whilst Kelly was pregnant I started to revisit song ideas in earnest, and began the arranging/recording process. I’ve forged out a space in one of our rooms to record, and occasionally I’ll pop to a rehearsal studio with some low-end mic’s to get some more natural but lofi sounds. I’m only finding fleeting moments to write/record but it’s turning into an album.

I’ve had several intermittent collaborators during the process - musical mates that I often play live with. Kelly has also creatively contributed, and our 1 year old is providing some unabashed artwork.

I’ll be sharing songs from the new album throughout 2026 with a view to releasing it in 2027.

WRITING/RECORDING PROCESS

Initial ideas often start while singing and playing guitar/keys or stumbling upon a sound/part. This is often the cathartic part of the process, the making-sense-of-things part. Then I’ll build on those ideas with rough arrangements and structures. I’ll start recording at home or whatever space I find myself in. Often I’ll build the track up (texture) by playing various instruments including drums, bass, synths, guitar, percussion or whatever else comes to hand. I enjoy mixing midi ideas with live parts, especially interspersing midi-drums/drum-machine part ideas that I might tap in live with my fingers, with snippets of real drumkit lines played live. Sometimes I’ll bring in musicians in to add a or more consistent live feel to an instrument or to add a different flavour. I do use pedals, keyboard fx, and room mics to capture effects and ambience while recording rather than leaving it all to plug-ins. As cliche as it is, I use cheap keyboards bought from charity shops; there’s always one super usable sound, and instruments that I might have temporary access to - then I’m recording on the fly. Though eventually I’ll produce a rough mix of the tracks, I’ll go through the final parts of the process by handing it over to a mixing engineer (TJ Allen), or sometimes I might collaborate on the final mix prepping if a track needs some fresh ears.

NEW ALBUM

Whilst my partner Kelly was pregnant with Evie, I started to revisit song ideas in earnest, and began the arranging/recording process. I forged out a space in one of our rooms to record, and occasionally I’ll pop to a rehearsal studio with some low-end mic’s to get some more natural but lofi sounds. I’m only finding fleeting moments to write/record but it’s turning into an album

I’ve had several intermittent collaborators during the process - musical mates that I often play live with. Kelly has also creatively contributed, and our 1 year old is providing some unabashed artwork.

I’ll be sharing songs from the new album throughout 2026 with a view to releasing it in 2027.