Artist, Reader, Writer, Dancer. Prefers ambient music and afrobeat yet becoming more and more immersed in folk & storytelling.

"To be lyric is to read as lyric." - Virginia Jackson

Chris Smillie has been writing songs forever under a few different names but the one he always come back to is ‘Simon’s Ghost’. The name is derived from a particularly good track by the Factory Records band, Crispy Ambulance from the album, The Plateau Phase. The original incarnation was formed in the final years of High School in Paisley with some friends - none of whom could play a note. Indeed, Chris ended up playing all the instruments in their first recording session, despite never having picked up an electric guitar before.

The first album, A Sea of Stars, is mostly played on an early Casiotone with some distorted guitar. Again, Chris plays all the instruments. The music can be compared to maybe the Trembling Blue Stars, Thom Yorke or New Order but played by early Band of Holy Joy or Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.

Later songs, such as 2017's new single, Breathe, sees Simon's Ghost move away from this lo-fi electronica to a harder post-punk / new wave sound reminiscent of Joy Division, the House of Love, Interpol or Killing Joke.

With a love of gleaming melodies and reverb-drenched guitars, Dayflower blend the noise of My Bloody Valentine and Air style soundscapes with a DIY feel that evokes early Pavement and the indelible song craft of The La’s… coated in just the kind of hazy sheen to please fans of 4AD and Creation records. 

Initially a bedroom project with no expectations, their tunes have gone on to win over music fans around the world, assisted by airplay on BBC6 Music / Introducing and physical releases on New York's Cloudberry Records and Stuttgart based Summer Darling Tapes.

Dayflower’s next album, ‘Comfort’ is due to be released on Chicago based independent label Sunday Records later in 2024

Musical musings from whales with wheels.

Formed in a mist to the south and west of Manchester. Fermented in oak barrels in Cheshire. Stored for a long time and brought out only when the need is great and the time is right.

That time is now.

A circa 2018 coming together of old college and post-uni friends who like playing Americana kinda stuff, balancing influences from lo-fi Grandaddy, Pavement et al to alt-country and folk.

Band members :
Rick - Silly lyrics, lover of bicycles, Dr in sound
Ian - Sexy grooves, provider of fry ups, drives a Yaris
Bob - Ivory tickler, doesn't do diaries, scared of buttons
Luke - Jangly jaguar, wears flannel, former treehorn

The songs usually hang on a story and a good old earworm melody, with lyrics that playfully tell a tale of characters, journeys, or situations. New single "Programmed to go on" out now, following the recently released "Men of the weather station / Superhero EP".

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