Dragonfiles is a new musical project between Nigel Godrich and Dhani Harrison. Godrich and Harrison had already know each other for years — running in the same circles, hanging out in nature and admiring each other’s work from afar. During the pandemic, Harrison reached out to Godrich for advice and insight on what would become his 2023 solo effort Innerstanding. Historically,. Harrison helmed all of his own projects and was generally averse to working with outside producers. At the same time, Godrich had reached the point where he was less interested in producing for strangers, and was much more eager to only work with friends.
Eventually a conversation around Innerstanding led to a different conversation: “Why don’t we try to work on something?”
Godrich’s first impulse was to invite Harrison to his Brixton-based studio, to draw the producer, multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of his comfort zone. There, Godrich brought Harrison into his current working method, which involves creating tape loops as the basis for songs. Though, they had known each other for years, the pair were entering completely unknown territory. But they had a shared musical language and multi-faceted decades-long careers between them, with each uniquely adept at production and an array of instruments. And at Godrich’s studio, they embarked on a series of writing and recording sessions in which songs quickly bursting out of them. “It’s like one person throwing something in the air and the other person catching it,” Godrich describes.
During their writing and recording sessions, Harrison was impressed by Godrich’s ability to edit on the fly. “He’s a machine,” Harrison says, then adds with a laugh: “He has strong opinions about what he wants to hear, and for me it’s very humbling — that’s why it’s such a new experience for me.” And yet for Harrison. a student of the alternative and electronic albums of late 90s Brain, working with his friend was a dream come true, and an experience in which each was able to shift roles. Harrison, who was long used to being control behind the computer, went to different places by operating primarily as a vocalist and guitarist. For his part, Godrich credits Harrison’s openness and compassion with allowing the writing process to be one of happy accidents, and began coming in with lyrics and melodies.
It was a unique way of working, both electronic and organic that involved laying down an idea, then chiseling the song into shape above mechanical sections of 24-track tape loops. Harrison conjured influences like Beth Gibbons, David Sylvain and Ryuchi Sakamoto in his vocals, while the duo refined their original recordings into layered grooves that channeled trip hop and electronic music — yet performed by hand. Then Godrich enlisted his Ultraísta and Atoms For Peace bandmate Joey Waronker (drums) to add more percussion. He also traveled to Los Angeles to work with composer and arranger David Campbell, with whom he worked on Beck‘s iconic Sea Change. Campbell draped the sputtering drums, rippling piano and frayed synths of several album tracks in gorgeous string arrangements. The result is a sort of earthbound space rock; music that’s transportive and far-reaching without ever sounding stereotypically psychedelic.
The destination was appropriately cosmic for a project that felt like liberation for both Godrich and Harrison. “Dragonflies are a symbol of spiritual enlightenment,” Harrison explains. “When Nigel suggested the name I was like, yeah, sold, done. Whenever I see a dragonfly it’s magical.”
Interestingly, Dragonflies embed from a period of both great chance and stillness. After two decades being primarily based in Los Angeles leading bands like thenewno2 and scoring for television and films, Harrison returned to his native England, shocked at the quiet remove back home. At the same time, Godrich had pulled back from touring and recording, and considered himself in semi-retirement. But it was from the newfound silence in both of their lives that Dragonflies became a vehicle in which they could chase unforeseen sound sand horizons.
Dragonflies emerged from a period of both great change and stillness. After two decades primarily based in Los Angeles — leading bands like thenewno2 and scoring television and films — Harrison returned to his native England, shocked at the quiet remove back home. Compared to running himself ragged in LA, he felt free, and the next phase of his musical life blossomed. At the same time, Godrich had pulled back from touring and recording, and considered himself in semi-retirement. It was from the newfound silence in both of their lives that Dragonflies became a vehicle in which they could chase unforeseen sounds and horizons.
Through the creation of the self-titled album, the duo discovered a new, brotherly depth to their friendship, and the fact that their bond allowed them to explore emotions and aesthetics neither could have done in another project — or by themselves. Built on trust, their experiments led to someplace unexpected for each, and opened the door for the future; They have a second album’s worth of material taht they’re putting the finishing touches on, and they plan on forming a touring band to take this new music on the road.
“I mean, it’s really fun,” Godrich explains simply. “Why would you not want to keep going?”
“We could go even further,” Harrison concludes. “I’m still not sure what it is, where the band is going. But I want to go to that place more.”
Dragonflies recently were on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform, album opener — and the first song the do worked on together — “Slower.” Built around a tumbling drums, glistening Rhodes and shimmering and bluesy and searching guitar beneath Harrison’s yearning delivery “Slower” is an atmospheric and vibey tune about the need to slow down and take stock that seemingly channels a blend of Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here-era Pink Floyd, Kid A and Amensiac-era Radiohead and Portishead — but while evoking a yearning toward the cosmic.
