Thinking Garden 2021

Song about playing quantum leap in your own life while the ice is melting and the waves are coming.

Here I am

Bearwolf is a children's story by Daniel James and David Roche with help from Kevin Davidson.

These are simple voice memo recordings to demo the stories. 

Please let me know what your little bears think in the comments!

Bearwolf And The Crookoos Napsack

The Moles' Secret

This is a story about Mr Giraffe who feels lonely living on his own so he sets off on a journey to try and find somewhere he fits in.

The Giraffe who went into space

The Baldrus Olympics

The story of Pete, the bravest penguineapig and what happens when he meets the Octopussycat who lives on their island.

The Bravest Penguineapig

Bearwolf and the bubbles of trouble

Professor Yessir's Birthday Machine

This is a simple acoustic version of "The Night before the end of the world". What would you do if the world was ending tomorrow? Is there someone you'd sing this song to...?

Night Before The End Of The World

OYSTAR songs, featuring Dan, Kev, Ben, James and Katy.

Murder OYSTAR

Wrote this song in Edinburgh when we met Lauren O'Rourke in the early hours while we were wandering round with the guitar. As the sun came up and the commuters started heading into work, we started freestyling this to them as they crossed the park on their way into work. Most people ignored us, but one guy was like, fuck it you're right. I'm not going in today. 

Sample is of Donald Rumsfeld talking during the war on terror. 

All my songs whether about love or relationships or whatever, are liable to be interrupted by the political, which for me started going wrong with the lies that led the US and the UK into the Iraq war. We can try to keep our love lives and our political lives separate, but when there's a fundamental incoherence lurking in your society and civilisation, the truth will keep rearing its ugly head in the least appropriate places. That's why the political is always invading my work.

Shout out to Lauren for channeling Kate Nash with the original chorus line and freestyle that inspired us to keep working on this song, here played by the Oystar band, Ben Richards, James Henderson, Kevin Davidson and DCR James.

Who you are

This is a song from the perspective of a young girl who has been told that she doesn't know a thing about love. She thinks different. 

Strong vocal performance by Katie Menditta (who would later feature on the track "Imagination" by Gorgon City).

Music by DCR James and Kevin Campbell. Lyrics by DCR James. Produced by Tom Mills.

What could you know about love?

The Elders was a project that involved working with young people in community centres and youth centres and helping them to learn to write songs, play music and sing. 

These songs were made between 2007 and 2012 and look at everything from the aftermath of Blair's Britain to the sweeter side of teenage dreams. 

Songs by D James and K Davidson unless stated.

Picking Teams (Acoustic)

Track by the elders written by D James and produced by T Gedney, featuring Kt from the Elders.

Breakable (Ambient)

A song about getting away with it, with a cheeky smile. 

Noone actually got murdered, it's just an expression in the UK ;)

Song by DCR James. 

Vocal by Katie Menditta.

Recording by Kevin Davidson.

Murder

Gravity Boy

This is what we do when our house is on fire...

Song by DCR James.

Make America Greta Again (Shout Fire)

7 Days and Nights

Welcome... 

As you know, Chloë and I have a baby on the way! 

So we went to Le Santé in the hills of Southern France a couple of months ago to take a moment to think about the new arrival and how our lives would soon be changing...

Also to find his name! 

The unpredictable nature of 2020 and changing lockdown rules meant that not everyone could join us in person. Instead, Kevin and Lydia found a way to bring everyone present, by creating a ceremony, like an island inside and outside of time by gathering the voices, songs, thoughts and wishes of our bestest. They made a beautiful moment for us on the island and on the little trip there and back - where all the songs and spoken words were recorded. 

It was such a beautiful moment and the main thing is to say thank you so much for being part of it, it really was special for us - and something that has already given me a lot of strength at various moments when I felt like I needed it.   

As well as hosting a magical moment for us on the island on the day, Kev recorded it and put it together with the audio gifts that were sent - and so we just wanted to make a moment where everybody who had made such a special thing for us could listen to it and be part of the experience of it if they'd like to. 

Ceremonies do rely a little on the pressure of time and space in order to magnify their meaning and resonance - and so we've chosen a time, exactly 2 months after the original splash of the ceremony - to invite you to join us and dip in to the immersive ceremony experience that Kev has co-created with you. 

So, without further ado, we'll be listening to this from 12.00 midday on Sunday 18th October 2020.

I'll take it down again at 1pm. To fully immerse yourself, you'll need to create your own space, wear headphones and make sure you're not interrupted for 38 minutes.

If you can do that, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful experience - like the one that you made possible for us. 

Thank you :)

DCR James

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