Listing Ships are an Oxford-based, nautically-inspired instrumental post-krautrock band. Everything about their songs reflects the band’s obsession with ships and the sea, from the titles and samples collected everywhere from Venice to Blackpool, right down to the songs’ very construction, based upon and often built around tales of the sea. The band produced their first 12" in 2012, The Hayling Island Sessions, by converting an RNLI lifeboat station into a recording studio, with artwork and samples collected from the surrounding area. 

In 2014 they released 'The Flat Holm Island Sessions' a collection of tracks recorded on the Island in November 2013. The USB release also contained a band documentary of the excursion, photographs and a map of the island incorporated in limited edition 'Message in a Bottle' style packaging.

Musically, Listing Ships take inspiration from classic krautrock like Can, Harmonia, Neu!, Ash Ra Tempel; sample-heavy, intricate electronica like Boards of Canada, Amon Tobin, Seefeel; expansive, exploratory guitar music like Tarentel,The Alps, Collections of Colonies of Bees; kings of the soundtrack world like Clint Mansell and Krzysztof Penderecki.

Listing Ships have performed alongside the likes of Damo Suzuki, Health, The Big Pink, Karma To Burn, Arbouretum, Mark Gardener (Ride) and Tall Ships, and have played at festivals including Truck, Audioscope and Supernormal, as well as in venues including art galleries and record stores.

Press quotes:

"A heavyweight battle between bass and guitars. A battle so ferocious it'd leave Black Sabbath cowering in a corner with their fingers in their ears... Spellbindingly intense and uncompromisingly relentless." 
- The 405

"Reminiscent of similarly relentless Factory Floor, (Listing Ships) are bursting with exciting ideas… Their seemingly unending and coruscating guitar lines and excellent drumming are the foundation of a superb set”
– The Line of Best Fit 

"A rollercoaster from deep, dark bass vs. deadly guitars, to light, airy synth heavy moments; ebbs and tides of sound, surging, falling, and surging again. Well done, mateys!"
- Louder Than War

"A nod to the jarring rhythms of bands such as Slint and Rodan before easing into the expansive, airy sound of Tortoise and stretching out to the horizon.” 
- Music In Oxford

Bass, Synths: Stuart Fowkes
Guitar, Synths: Mike Bingham
Guitar: Jim Hey
Drums: Dave Balch / James Pamphlion / Russ Wainwright


Blue has an original and highly visual guitar sound influenced by South American Supper Club Cabaret and the Golden Age of the Flamenco Cafe. 

Followers of DEADRUNNER