Mention classic British horror and it immediately conjures up a picture of pagan ritual and dark murmurings in the undergrowth: an analogue world in which exploration of the dark corners of the imagination has always been far more important than the quality of the CGI.
It is into this vivid milieu that multi-instrumentalist and artist Simon Jones went in search of inspiration for his latest four-track EP, ‘Lust, Desire & Blood’, and the video exclusive that we are delighted to be able to share with you.
Featuring original music and narratives based around pagan chants, Jones says that his new ‘folk horror’ EP owes a debt to memories of the cult classics he watched as a boy on the family TV or old VHS tapes passed around by friends.
From the lightness of an ear of wheat, to the darkness of the cold damp earth, Jones seeks to explore visceral reactions to fear via his sonic storytelling. In the case of the lead song, ‘We Are A Circle’, the award- winning animator has added a compelling visual layer.
Jones explains: “I grew up in the Seventies watching TV shows like Hammer House of Horror, Tales of The Unexpected, Children Of The Stones, and those creepy public information films aimed at kids. What I enjoy most about them is the sense of the uncanny: it can be deeply unsettling to take the ordinary and homely and then do something to remove the expected sense of security and comfort you would associate with them.
“I have been really interested to see how the concept of analogue-horror has become a thing with the younger generation in recent times: it’s the aesthetic of what to them is an alien world – one of degraded VHS tapes, clunky analogue TV shows, and found footage. It is that more homemade, or even amateurish, aesthetic that gives these things a wonderful sense of creepiness. You can see it being used in gaming and YouTube shorts and it works very well.”
‘Lust, Desire & Blood’ is available now on all major streaming services and a fine addition to the growing solo catalogue of Jones, who is one third of the acclaimed experimental folk song and storytelling trio Harp & a Monkey. There are no plans at present to take his work into the live arena, but Harp & a Monkey are presently completing a run of shows, including a debut appearance at the Cambridge Folk Festival. Check out their live dates at https://harpandamonkey.com/
Order Lust, Desire & Blood 4 track EP via Bandcamp: https://simonjohnjones.bandcamp.com/album/lust-desire-blood-4-track-ep