A New Chapter in Cinematic Ambient Folk: An Interview with Ollie Dixon

Inspired by artists like RY X, Novo Amor, and Sufjan Stevens, Ollie Dixon has carved out a distinctive niche within the South West music scene. His previous singles have earned spots on Spotify’s Editorial playlists and have topped iTunes charts in Norway and the Netherlands. Notably, his track "St Agnes" was recognized by BBC Introducing and Absolute Radio.

Dixon’s journey to Rebirth involved a transformative process, with multiple rewrites and a dedication to pushing his creative boundaries. Teaming up with Lee and violinist Leonie Prater, Dixon experiments with new tones and production ideas in "Byegone," blending ambient guitars, drum samples, and layered violins to create a sound he calls "Cinematic ambient folk."

Join us as we delve into the inspirations, challenges, and creative processes behind Ollie Dixon's latest work and explore what fans can expect from his new music.

1. Ollie, 'Byegone' marks the beginning of a new phase in your musical journey. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this track and how it sets the tone for your forthcoming EP, 'Rebirth'? 

Byegone was the first track that I considered changing direction in, genre wise. After releasing an EP in 2022 called Islands, It was quite Indie folk, like Bear’s Den / Ben Howard.. And it didn't feel like the path I should have been heading down musically speaking. I was very proud of it and it has done really well, something like 250k streams on spotify alone, with a lot of support from BBC Intro and Absolute Radio. However it still didn't feel like “me” 

At the beginning of 2023 I went to a gig in London, at The Roundhouse. I saw an artist called RYX play with the Philharmonic Orchestra and it blew my mind. It opened my eyes to music that I had never really listened to or considered before, blending orchestral sounds with ambient pads with acoustic guitars and synths.. It was a real eye opening experience. After the gig I immediately called my guitarist Lee (who plays electric guitar) and said we need to find a violinist. A week later we met Leonie who plays violin and is a permanent member of the band now. Working string arrangements into all the older songs and then, the new ones.

My musical direction took a whole new turn, focusing on more ambient composing when it came to the arrangements of the songs, Working with a “less is more” mind set. Rather than filling the space with guitars and ambient noise.. We started experimenting with soft strings and subtle pads or arpeggiators. That really changed the feel and dynamic of the new songs. It felt like a progression and maturity within the songwriting and musical compositions. 

Along with the live show of RY’s I delved into his back catalogue, figuring out how he was blending these ideas and making them work in a harmonious manner that didn't take anything away from the song or make it out of place, Same with Novo Amor, Sufjan Stevens, SYML dove deep into everything they have released listening intently just so I could understand how they composed and blended everything in a tasteful almost articulate way. But not to copy them at all, just learning to take inspiration and work it into a song and direction for myself. Not saying that I have mastered it at all by any means, and it’s definitely not on par with these artists I aspire to, but its heading in the right direction. 

2. You mentioned that 'Byegone' went through multiple versions and producers. What were some of the challenges you faced during this process, and how did you finally achieve the sound you were aiming for? 

It was a long road to finish Byegone, the original version I wrote back in 2020/2021. It's completely different to what it is today, more indie-folk I guess. But it never felt right, but i persevered with it, I felt that there was something “there” in the song that was worth working towards, So I struggled with various melodies and a multitude of lyrics for 3 years, going back and forth all the time and never finding anything that was drawing me into the song. Around

2022 I had some lyrics that I felt represented the track and what I wanted it to represent. So we went to the studio and recorded a version but upon hearing it back, I really didn't like it, it felt clunky and wrong, so we went back to the drawing board and yet again, set out for another rewrite (3rd rewrite at this point) But as we did, our producer went travelling so we had to find someone else. In 2023 We went to a new studio with another producer and recorded it again, the whole track was finished after 3 days recording and, to be honest.. It sucked, It still wasn't good enough and once again my gut feeling was that it still needed a lot of work. 

We spent a lot of money at this point and thought about giving it up and moving on, but I had a feeling that I should persevere and see what happens, So after a very stressful few weeks I did another 2 re-writes but this time I changed the vibe completely. In a new key, less indie folk and more ambient / alternative, it was darker and softer on my vocals (I had so many issues singing it before, it was uncomfortable) This time, it felt right. I showed it to the band and my manager and they loved it. So after trying it out on a small tour we did in 2023, we went to the studio again to record the final version. A small remote studio in cornwall, we recorded in the winter and by February it was recorded and ready for the next step, but I struggled with the mix, i think because we all were engulfed by this track for so long, we lost sight of where it needed to go. 

So I stripped it back, after 20 mixes I cut out violins, guitars, drums, vocals.. A real, less is more attitude. There’s a quote or mantra I live by now when it comes to writing music now and it's “now that we have it, can we reduce it to its maximum” So that's what I did, took off all the added stuff that wasn't making a real impact on the song and overcrowded it.  We then thought it would be a good idea to try a new producer who has never heard the track or worked on it, we were in too deep with it at this point and needed someone with fresh ears. Thats when we were introduced to Ben Matravers, a producer from Leeds signed with Universal Music Group. He knew exactly what was wrong, told me what needed changing and fixing before he could work on it, so I did what he said, he took it on and 4 mixes later we had the final product and it’s just how it thought it should sound, he really understood the vision i had and the vibe we wanted. Then Jason Mitchell in Honiton took it in for mastering ( hes worked with RY X and Nick Mulvey ) 2 masters later, done. After 4 years and a lot of stress, a lot of stress and money we had something that was worth it. Perseverance.. 

3. Your music often features atmospheric reverb and warm, delayed tones, creating a unique soundscape. How do you go about blending these elements with drum samples and arpeggiated synths to create your distinct 'cinematic ambient folk' style? 

A lot of the time it is trial and error. We have a lot of writing sessions breaking the bare bones of the track down, then building with various ideas as we go. With byegone for instance, it was the first track we used samples on for drums as a conventional kit didn't sound right.. Then once stripped back it felt empty in the bridge and ending, then after listening to artists I'm inspired by,

I listened to how they blend space with drones or synths..without overpowering the key elements So that's what I did and once it was on the recording, it stuck and filled that space, but almost adding more space in a weird way. 

The core parts of the songs is my acoustic guitar, normally i use a steel string but for a lot of the new ones ive been using a nylon and running it through my pedalboard, it has such a nice dynamic to it. But we always focus on keeping that acoustic guitar the main focus, the cornerstone of the songs, then build around that with Lee’s electric guitars and Leonie’s violins after that. Then will come the drums, synths and anything else we can layer up! 

Again, it’s a real less is more direction, with some unconventional mixing i guess. I'm not keen on vocals being at the forefront of a track or having drums too loud, same with brass, normally it’s quite prominent in a mix but I like to keep it low and use it more as a texture. 

4. The music video for 'Byegone' showcases the beautiful coastlines that inspire you. How important is your connection to the South West in shaping your music and visual storytelling? 

To be honest it can be anywhere really, the coast really drives my creativity so it’s not necessarily the South West, Any coastline will do for me! I spent some time in Wales, in the mountains which really cleared my head and sparked some inspiration for some new music.. I think it's just being outdoors for me, taking the van to the coast or the mountains really inspires my songwriting and clears my mind to do so. The South West is my home, I like to think it always will be too, North Devon is my favourite place to be, Woolacombe in particular. When I go to the beach I feel at home. I try to make as many connections to the water as possible in my songwriting, I feel a deep connections to the waters, coastlines, mountains..the land (in a non hippy-like way) 

That's why I like to show it in music videos. It's quite a powerful thing watching waves crash along the shoreline, especially in a storm, or seeing the sunset on still waters along the cliffs.. It’s hard to explain the feeling that I get when I’m writing, or filming or anything that’s by the coast.. Its like my mind finally stops for a bit and everything slows down. No stress or worries.. Just the sound of waves and probably wind or rain, but none of that matters in the moment. It's a meditative state that I enter and that's why I portray it in music videos and songs because it affects me so much. 

5. After taking a break from the music industry and rewriting 'Rebirth' several times, what new perspectives or insights did you gain, and how have they influenced the final version of the EP?

To be honest, I was thinking of not coming back to the music business at all. I was burnt out and not enjoying recording or touring at the time, and I wanted out. But the universe works in mysterious was and at the time i was about to pack it in, Lee had to take time off with illness, Leonie broke her arm in a skiing accident, so we all had to take 3-6 months out.. That worked wonders for me, I got a normal 9-5 job working for The National Trust (which, it turns out I really enjoy) Best thing I could have done for my music career was get a normal job and work it around music. No stress paying bills or worrying about funding recordings etc. So we all took time out, I ended up finishing Byegone and writing the whole EP again because I took all the stress and pressure off of myself, no touring or festivals I cancelled everything in the calendar, everything went, I deleted social media and went offline. That worked wonders on my mental health, I took up meditations and hit the gym every day, reading new books.. Everything that I should have been doing for my mental health but was neglecting because I thought I had to work harder at music. 

We’re slowly getting back to it now, the tracks are coming along nicely, sounding very full and refreshed. Rehearsals are underway again, the live set is coming together and we’re trialling out new members! It’s all quite exciting stuff. 

I've learnt that I need to let go, trust in the process and trust in the people I'm working with, who are professionals. To take the reins to make the songs the best they can be and really bring them to life. When you let go, you start to attract. If you hold on too tightly then you don't go anywhere or achieve anything. i think i’ve also learnt that nobody cares if you release music by a certain date or not, take off the pressure and take time to write and produce something that’s really special and worth the time, energy (and money) that I put into it. No one cares if I release a track, months after I said I would.. So why rush the process and have a track that's only 50% just for the sake of releasing a song and working the algorithm, when I could aim for 95% and make a track that I'm really proud of, that might do better too, who knows. 

The EP has come a long long way since the start of writing it, the tracks have forever changed and evolved but it's something I'm glad I've taken my time over and trusted my gut. If I have a gut feeling about something, I'm going to trust it. 9 out of 10 times I should have trusted my gut feeling. Musically it's the best I've ever written and I'm really proud of everything we have done.