Music / Get To Know
Get to Know: the Flag Fen Project
The cryptic first introduction to the Flag Fen Project – ‘bio-electrical resistance inspired by the testimony of a fugitive archaeologist’ – could be accused of creating more questions than it answers. Learning more about the band raises the suspicion that’s exactly the kind of accusation they revel in.
The duo that describe their music as ‘dubbed out man-machine grooves combining electronic sounds with post-punk, folk and psychedelia’ talk ancient landscapes, the best of the Bristol scene and why they’ve ditched Spotify.
The Flag Fen Project appears to have mysterious origins. What sparked the idea for the band?
Adam and Keith are inspired by place and its stories, whether ancestral mythologies or personal experience
“We met a man on Glastonbury Tor who claimed to be an archaeologist. Apparently he’d been living on the peace convoy after going on the run.
“Years later we bumped into him in Sheffield and he told us about an excavation that unleashed some kind of malevolent power from ancient times. We started looking into it and were amazed how much of his story checked out.”
What does the use of an overarching concept contribute to the process?
“It’s a jumping off point. The more you dig into it the more unexpected stuff it seems to throw out. It also brings a folky element to the music which sets the tone.”
Ancient landscapes and mythologies seems to be an important vein – can you tell us why?
“We’re inspired by places we know and the stories that come with them. Angelus and Trinity Bridge are both about Crowland, where Adam lived as a child. Newnham is about a frightening experience we had in the Forest of Dean. Shipden Bells is about a Norfolk village that disappeared under the sea.”
What’s your connection to Bristol?
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“Both of us moved here together from Southampton in the early days of Big Joan, the first band we played in together. We all lived together like the Monkees and totally fell in love with the scene here.
“Then we were heavily involved in Choke, which was a magazine and club night that still occasionally gets revived for one-off gigs, so we were close to people like Gravenhurst, Chikinki, Madnomad and Ivory Springer.
“I wouldn’t say we are massively part of any scene now but there are lots of artists we admire – Oh, The Guilt, Shoun Shoun, Grove, the Brackish, Kayla Painter, Kahn, Pinch.
“Also let’s give a shout to Captain Zero, Keith’s other band. The other members are Steve, who appeared on our first album, and Dave who runs the studio where we record. They’re great.”
How does the duo dynamic play out?
The pair enjoyed a spot at Honeyfest in Pewsey which allowed a visit to next door’s infamous Crop Circle Museum
“We worked with a bunch of different people on Vol. 1 (2021 album Timbers) and then reverted to a duo because it was easier.
“The two of us played together in Big Joan for many years so we’re like family. The chemistry is very natural and we trust each other to try things out and be honest when they don’t work.
“It forces us to decide what instruments each tune actually needs because we only have four hands. We’re definitely up for more collaborations in future.”
Tell us about your latest release…
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“Vol. 2 (released October 2025) is just the two of us. It was originally a three-track EP but it got held up for a year as we learned to make records without Mike, the producer who helped us finish our first album.
“This time we were a lot more in control and it’s much closer to how we sound live, although we did have to get rescued by Chris Moore – a recording engineer Adam happened to meet while out walking the dog! – after Adam spent five months trying to mix it himself.
“At the last minute we decided to add an extra three tracks to make it into a mini-album. The opening track Macabre Rehearsal was built around a percussion track we recorded in the burial chamber at Stoney Littleton Long Barrow.”
Why did you decide to remove the band from Spotify?
“It was a rip-off from the start and we never put any effort into promoting it or getting on playlists. We put the first album on there maybe six months after it was released, so there was never any love for it from us at all.
“Then the news broke about Daniel Ek’s huge financial investment in AI weapons and it was a tipping point. A lot of these tech people are either amoral or actively evil. Also in America Spotify run ads for ICE, which is a fascist militia that kidnaps and murders people.”
What can people expect from the Flag Fen live experience?
“A moody, trippy start building to a frenzy of bass, beats and noise. And middle aged dads yelling about shovels down a haunted microphone.”
The Flag Fen Project appears at the Chelsea, Easton, with the Brackish on January 23: hdfst.uk/e146138
Listen to the latest release at flagfenproject.bandcamp.com/album/the-flag-fen-project-vol-2
All images: The Flag Fen Project
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