I have to admit it: even if I'm "only" 35, sometimes I feel a bit lost in this new music world where young people discover music from 15-second videos on TikTok and enjoy listening to 90-second tracks on Spotify. I grew up with some vinyls like Mike Oldfield and Vangelis, and I prefer the listening experience to the frenetic consumption of content that will be forgotten in a few minutes. And trust me, you will remember the music that transports you, even in 30 years.
Ollie Dixon is a UK-based artist that is doing that kind of music. By "that kind of music", I mean that you just have to close your eyes and imagine a whole scenery or fictional landscapes. And regarding his new single "Harbour", the listening experience lasts 5 minutes which seems almost too short. Far from TikTok trends, closer to human.
A real invitation to disconnect, "Harbour" very lightly evokes a heavy subject: toxic relationships., as Ollie explains:
"Harbour was written at a time when I lost 3 of my closest friends, people I thought id know forever, sadly it came to an end, and I realized they weren't good for me or my health. Since parting ways I've met so many amazing people that are now closer than family".
Many people will be able to relate to this situation, and I am one of them. The song perfectly reproduces in our imagination the fog that can appear when we are not sure if we should trust or not.
Halfway between indie-folk and ambient music, "Harbour" is a wonderful gem that, from 3:22 to 3:54, will reconcile you with long formats, by suddenly making the fog disappear in favour of a light that illuminates the end of the song, evoking freedom and lucidity. Sometimes we just need the light to guide us to the harbour. And this song is a big help.
Reach out to Ollie Dixon
