Dartmoor or less

I am currently working on the final part of my folk lore inspired trilogy of EPs.

The first parts were "Grim's Ditch" and "Weland" which were released in the year of the plague 2020 while I lived in Oxfordshire.  They concerned the stories behind the ancient network of man-made ditches and the story of Weyland the Smith respectively, both of which are stories with roots in Oxfordshire.

Now that I live in Devon, I am looking to complete the trilogy with some new local folklore.  I am however finding it difficult to connect with the stories of the surrounding area since I am still fairly new here.  I lived in Oxfordshire for my entire childhood and a good portion of my adult life - so I was able to relate to the stories I wished to tell with relative ease.

Hamel Down Tor at dawn, August 2021

I am however trying my best to do justice to the landscapes and stories that surround me now around Dartmoor.  Using various library books, wild camping trips and excursions into the wilderness, I am beginning to appreciate the wonder and scale of my new home.

It is a daunting prospect attempting to distil a legend of this landscape into a 21 minute EP (yes, I will complete the trilogy with a 3" CDr to mirror the first 2 releases) yet I hope to do it justice by not rushing.  So it should appear at some point later this year.

Sunset over Dartmoor from Bovey Tracey

So far whilst researching Dartmoor I have discovered the principle of the "Palimpsest" - something which is reused or altered but still bears visible traces of its earlier form.  This can apply to literature but also of the physical landscape.  Past generations of human activity have left scarring and debris for us to discover.  Drone photography allows us to see ancient farmland markings during hot summer months on ground which is now considered inappropriate for farming.  A drying lake can reveal ancient settlements in a particularly low water season.  

I am making use of this principle in a year long "remix" effort - I will be recording live performances over the course of 2022 using samples and ideas from the previous recording.  These can be found here for free streaming and download (or a payment if you prefer and you can add it to your Bandcamp collection).