Paperknives and Dragonflies – a project by Ashwan

Early March a couple of years ago, we got the news the country was about to enter a severe lockdown due to a pandemic. Had I read that sentence a couple of weeks before the event, I would have thought I was starting a science fiction novel.
The lockdown in Barcelona meant that you could not leave your home except for essential business for a minimum of 8 weeks. I would not be able to go to the studio to work, Artist being a 'non-essential' profession.
Creating IS essential though and so how I could improvise: Start drawing (figuratively, but literally) or maybe start a sound project???
I've always loved making music and djing but since my kids were born, I'd had more and more demands on my time and it was pretty hard to justify.

I own a lot of records, don't know how to play an instrument but having early NY hip hop as the long term love of my life, I love music that is built from samples. We live in a sample culture but the culture police have closed down the ability to produce music in a pure sense in this way. It is big business and decisions in the music industry are defining the art.
I wanted to create a project that was pure and represented my place at that moment in time. Something inspired by hip hop with a soulful, jazzy, downbeat trip hop vibe.

The Concept:

As it developed, Paper Knives and Dragonflies' became a romantic project. A title that conjures up concepts like 'cops and robbers`, 'cowboys and indians', 'swallows and amazons'...kids games. What does each element signify? A paper knife might be a knife used to open letters, a knife made of paper or perhaps a piece of paper that carries a text which is particularly grave (like a petition for divorce). To me, it symbolizes a naivety and innocence. An attempt to prepare for something so unpredictable we can only really comfort ourselves with the concept of preparation. An origami object that is essentially useless but carries some sense of self empowerment.
Dragonflies are a source of beauty and wonder, with such speed, power and grace. It was always amazing to spot these almost mystical creatures as a kid. Almost mechanical in contrast to where I would find them: river banks, lakes and ponds. Those unnatural, natural creatures, natures drones, and something I'd only spot when a step outside the urban or sub-urban environments that I think this music reflects. A beautiful contrast.

Paper knives was a word in a track written and performed by the amazing Lisa DeBenedictis that just jumped out at me: 'In the thick, of a gunfight, you only brought a paperknife'.
It's a killer line from an incredibly talented singer and songwriter. ´Devil In Disguise' is a super cinematic track thanks to the sumptuous pictures she paints.

I wanted the project to have the sense of a collective...which it has been. It would have been impossible without these other artists adding their voices. Even my kids have been involved, singing and adding bits of guitar. Thank you both..I love you!

Also huge thank you's to the amazing contributors: long time partner in grime and soul brother Poet Curious, Hayley Ribera who I have a huge amount of respect for, given what information she had going in to the recording session...AMAZING! Lucia Aranguren bringing light to the dark and making everyday new again. Emcee Sick from Pseudo Slang whose laid back flow I've always loved from his PS jazz hop ish, kills it again and its a scoop for me to have him on this project. Lisa DeBenedictis is killin me softly, both with her writing and her voice and helped define the mood of the whole project. I've always loved the sound of the French language and finally met Claire James Dupain who translated and brought the Fly to the Dragon on Libelule...very smooth and moody. This was the last track on the album and the missing piece of the puzzle.
Extra shouts need to go to Gareth Byland who listened to my thoughts and ideas the whole way through this project and got sick of me. He also added additional guitar and ideas to some of the tracks along the way. Wouldn't have been the same without you brother! Huge thanks to Todd Glider and his wife Jeremie for their contribution to Game of Chance. Todd's poem was the source and inspiration for the lyrics and really takes the listener on an adventure. Shouts to Matteo Saccliotto for his general help, guidance and a dope bassline on Devil in Disguise and also bringing in double bass player Angelo Verdabasso. Matteo also helped with some of the sexy live drum sounds throughout the project.

Essentially this project is music for a box that will manifest as a sculptural sound piece/art toy aka slab of vinyl in the near future, with a little help from my friends.
John B, Val B, Martin T, Mike T...HUGE THANK YOU to you!

Hope you all enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed creating it.

Wan Luv!

Ash

www.ashwan.co.uk
@ashwanarts on social media