Inspired by the nomadic travels of cult folk artist, Mark Fry and outsider Krautrock groups, Thomas and Margat leased a semi-dilapidated cottage in the isolated mountain range of Frosinone and shut themselves away from the world. Recalling the wonder of wistful kids theme tune ‘White Horses’ they began working on a set of songs that would channel feelings of lost innocence and the optimism of childhood.

The rustic, yet salubrious location began to replenish their burnt-out imaginations, breathing life into a fantasy band that had seemed just an improbable daydream during the long, cold Manchester winter. Assembling a makeshift studio from battered analogue recording gear and cheap guitars, the duo began making scratchy instrumentals, soaking up inspiration from their picturesque surroundings.

“We would work for hours on end, sometimes playing along to visuals, sometimes looking at the faint mirages on the horizon” recalls Thomas, “At times we had a DVD of Jodorowsky’s El Topo on repeat just trying to make an alternative soundtrack. When we got bored we’d walk through the hills, soak up the sun, just trying to remember what was missing from our lives, piecing together all those childhood memories of colours and sensations into a musical language.”

As the days went by, a sound began to develop; hazy instrumentals started evolving into offkilter pop songs, blurring seventies MOR sensibilities with elements of psychedelia, Nouvelle Chanson and post-punk.