Wardens Grove

Wardens Grove is nestled behind the Metal Box Factory, an award-winning workspace building that once made decorative tin boxes. The ‘pocket park’and rain garden by the rail viaduct provides a leafy backdrop for the Caravan Bankside restaurant on the corner of Wardens Grove and Great Guildford Street.

Artist Notes:

The theme of the piece is an industrial lullaby. Learning about the history of how Wardens Grove was named, compelled me to create an ode. The story of metal works (alongside seeing the shard from a specific vantage point) gave me the inspiration to name the track Iron Road. The audio note about the history of the area and an in-person visit to the location was helpful to understand the context, I used both fragments to help shape the story and textures.

The opening and closing of the track create the feeling that you're entering an alternate reality - perhaps signifying time travel. I included many melodically percussive elements that pay homage to the metal box factory, and to mirror the sounds that may have been heard during the time of its original use. I wanted the track to feel more like a soundtrack and less like my typical vocal led compositions. Therefore I allowed my voice to take a back. I used layers of sound drenched in reverb to provide a sense of nostalgia (a feeling I often get when visiting London - my home town). Towards the middle of the track you hear background noise of people talking and the sounds of cutlery clinking - this was inspired by the Caravan restaurant. I added this layer to emulate sounds from that environment as it drifted out of the bay windows and onto the street during my visit.

To me, Iron Road feels like an immersive experience and a reflection of my relationship with London. A familiar memory.

LYRICS:

Today I walked along the Iron road

And your reflection

Was new to me but oh so old.

Today I walked along the Iron road

And my perception

Was new to me but oh so old.

Szjerdene

Growing up in East London, Szjerdene spent her formative years quietly honing her luscious take on the craft, developing a unique vocal style that owes as much to her remarkable natural talent as to her unwavering single-mindedness. Her self-released debut EP ‘Patchwork’ dropped in 2012. After a live video performance caught the ear of Simon Green, AKA Bonobo, it was officially re-released on Ninja Tune in 2013. Now residing along the scenic canals of Amsterdam, Szjerdene continues to turn heads around the globe, winning hearts and capturing minds with her artfully crafted songs and mesmeric, ethereal vocals.

www.facebook.com/Szjerdene

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Szjerdene

Wardens Grove