New Music: Shadowman x John J Presley – Don’t Assume

John J Presley, Ben Hillier and Danielle Perry are Shadowman, who follow their Flowers debut with the enigmatic Don’t Assume.

There’s an ease about the track that belies the timely uncertainty lyrics, a raw and flowing groove that contrasts with the gothic textures of the vocals and the impending catastrophe that haunts every moment of the song.

It’s not a track that can be neatly boxed off; there is no neat genre that will fully describe the buzzy analogue textures of Don’t Assume. But if you have an open mind and adventurous tastes, its proto-punk demeanour, fizzing with subtle references to Nick Cave, kosmische, and the 70s works of Roxy Music and David Bowie, this – and I suspect the upcoming album – will be one to treasure.

“I’ve played a Fender Rhodes alongside John J Presley for a while now, and the riff we got for this tune was the one I’d been waiting for,” says Perry about recording the track. “There’s something the bass of a Rhodes provides that just can’t be replicated, really. Lord knows I’ve tried, but every time I went back to my 54-key heavy, HEAVY beautiful Rhodes.”

“The tone is so malleable, and it cuts through so well in its own silky way. We always imagined punchy late-night Chicago horns on this in the middle 8, and Pete Wareham just got it right away. There’s a glint in the eye with the lyrics on this one… and sadly, since we wrote it, some of the lyrics have become very of this moment on the world stage. Suffice to say… we find war abhorrent and wish for a peaceful, respectful world.”

John explains about the formation of the band, “Shadowman, both as a collective and the resulting album, started as an experiment. After one particular tour, I bought a new acoustic guitar and started to write the bones of these songs with a real focus on songwriting rather than the tones and sounds, as I had before.”

“This guitar (a 70s Guild) almost seemed to arrive ready to play them… Sometimes that happens with a new instrument. Weeks of writing followed, and I then took them to Ben Hillier to pad out with drums and track at his studio, Agricultural Audio. My long-time collaborator and wife Danielle Perry joined us for those, and we carved them into the Shadowman album with engineer Dan Crook.”

“John came to the studio with some of his new demos,” continues producer Ben Hillier. “I’ve always loved his singing, and I was blown away by the songs – the space and freedom in there – and by Danielle’s voice. I never knew she could sing!”

“The sessions were fast, reactive – trying to grab the first inspiration. Always in the first three takes. Dan Crook captured everything on 2″ tape from the first note we played. Pete Wareham and Marcus Hamblett added extra colour and depth with their unique sax and brass textures. Then, to finish the production, we had to nurture that fresh energy. Careful not to straighten out the creases or lose the detail. Never flatten the dynamic or over-elaborate.”

Shadowman’s self-titled album is out on the 4th of September via Nica Records/Republic of Music. The band plays Shacklewell Arms, London, on the 3rd of June and Supersonic, Paris, the following night. Check out Shadowman on Instagram and TikTok for gig details and album updates.

Header photo by Laura-Mary Carter