Trimdon Grange Explosion - Dreams Buried Under The Sea Trimdon Grange Explosion

Next up on North London’s FERAL CHILD label, comes a real treat- the long planned full length from the great TRIMDON GRANGE EXPLOSION. A superb 10 track record that follows 2018’s self titled debut on Cardinal Fuzz | Feeding Tube (which prompted Rolling Stone’s David Fricke to describe them as “arch modernists within their historical domain…like a farm-house Velvet Underground.”)

Recorded in rehearsal rooms and homes in the aftermath of a pandemic, “Dreams…” carries a sense of Autumn: an ending of things, and new beginnings. Of harvesting and the storing of all that is good, in preparation for the harsh winter to come. Initially falling together from the ashes of sometimes celebrated electric-folkies The Eighteenth Day Of May back in 2006, Trimdon Grange Explosion have a way of taking their time. Built on the strong friendships of the individuals going way back, their approach to music-making has involved infrequent London based live appearances, but lots of recording, the results offered forward only when necessary. 

The years following have seen the departure of founding member, viola player Alison Cotton to concentrate on well received solo work, but still appearing on three tracks on the new record. Alison’s departure preceded the arrival of new member, formidable bassist Ben Reed whose long resume includes work with Frank Ocean, Sampha and Hannah Peel, in addition to making solo records, the most recent being “Bandaged” on Esoteric in 2023. His arrival frees up original bassist Mark Nicholas to join Ben Phillipson on guitar duties. Phillipson also takes sole charge of vocals, double-tracked and harmonised. Drummer Karl Sabino completes the line-up, also handling most of the recording and production. 

Not completely putting their folk tendencies to one side, the album documents a band learning to communicate with the new line-up; a sound that stretches from the Albion Country Band’s pastoral intricacy to Pavement’s lo-fi inscrutability by way of The Rain Parade/Byrdsian school of chiming guitars. 

A recent live review in Shindig! (July 2025) noted the “propulsive ride-cymbal-driven drum and bass groove underpins intertwining dual raga-drone guitar lines; when one goes high, the other goes low and vice versa, making for sublime psych-head listening”.  

“Dreams Buried Under The Sea” is at times uplifting, often heavily melancholic, and marks a culmination of sorts for Trimdon. Its release on Dom Martin’s Feral Child label also completes a circle, their debut release being a 7” on his previous Great Pop Supplement imprint way back when.