In 2008, Dave Holmes encouraged us to find a unique location at which to record our debut album. It was kind of audacious; the sort of thing a professional band might only do at an advanced stage of its career. But Dave’s instinct was right: few musicians get to experience this, and it might have been our only chance, for all we knew. Adding adventure to the mix would create enduring memories. Revisiting “A New Aesthetic” and uncovering batches of photos from old mobile phones and social media has indeed been special.

We found C’barn near the coastal town of Raglan. It’s perched above the main surf beach with 360 degree views of rugged landscapes and wild weather systems. We turned this holiday house into a makeshift recording studio. We worked, ate and slept in that space. It was the first of some 7 projects I’ve worked on with Holmes to date. He’s always been a sage.