introvertstrange animals – ashley ray simon
The verdict
“ashley ray simon lets the subconscious lead on 'strange animals', a compelling and brilliantly untamed slice of rhythmic folktronica”
'strange animals' opens with a guitar and a drum machine that drifts just off the grid, and everything else follows that lead. the guitar tone is worn-in and close, grinding wonderfully against the rhythm, and the vocal moves with a lovely groove. there's improvisation all through this, first takes left unpolished, and it gives the whole thing a sense of motion that really works. distant vocal reverb sits alongside; intimate and slightly epic, one and th same. It's genuinely a real beauty.
ashley ray simon is a british artist now based in lisbon, portugal, building a sound out of life's twists and turns on the iberian peninsula. his earlier releases read like chapters: a live no-click debut, a widescreen follow-up with tarantino tones, and an experimental pop record born from heartbreak. now he's digging into unquantized drum machines and human-machine groove, and this single lands right in that territory. it's a bold and confident step, and we're very keen to hear where it goes next.
thank u for making this ashley ray simon 🦊