Grasscut
British duo blending electronica with landscape-inspired concepts.
Grasscut is a Brighton-based musical duo made up of Andrew Phillips, who handles composition, production, vocals, guitar, and keyboards, and Marcus O'Dair, who manages the group and plays keyboards and double bass. Phillips writes and produces all of the music.
The group has released albums on Ninja Tune and Lo Recordings. Their debut, *1 Inch: ½ Mile*, came out in 2010, followed by *Unearth* in 2012. A third album, *Everyone Was a Bird*, appeared on Lo Recordings in 2015. Contributors to their records have included Robert Wyatt, John Surman, Adrian Crowley, Gazelle Twin, Seb Rochford, Oddfellows Casino, and Elisabeth Nygård. Grasscut have remixed artists such as Bonobo, Coldcut, Jaga Jazzist, Leo Abrahams, and John Metcalfe, while their own work has been remixed by Bibio, Nathan Fake, and Penguin Cafe.
*1 Inch: ½ Mile* was named Mojo’s electronica album of the month, one of iDJ’s debut albums of the year, and one of the Sunday Telegraph’s top ten pop albums of the year. Clash magazine called Grasscut “genuinely daring electronica artists,” and BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson listed it among his top 13 albums of all time. *Unearth* received five-star reviews from the Telegraph and praise from the Sunday Times, Word, Uncut, Time Out, Q, and Clash. Andy Gill of the Independent argued it should have been on the Mercury Prize shortlist. The group has had airplay across BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 5 Live, and 6 Music, and has recorded sessions for 6Music and XFM.
*Everyone Was a Bird* was described by Clash as “an engrossing, artful work” and by The Quietus as “that rare slab of post-rock that uses the genre's textures and general ethos of exploration to create new sounds instead of rehashing old ones.” It featured guest vocals from Adrian Crowley and Seamus Fogarty, strings by Emma Smith and Vince Sipprell, and liner notes by landscape writer Robert Macfarlane. A remix album, *Everyone Was a Bird – Remixed*, followed in 2016, with contributions from Mira Calix, John Metcalfe, Leo Abrahams, and Penguin Cafe.
Since opening the main stage at the Big Chill festival in 2009, Grasscut have performed at venues including Cecil Sharp House, Union Chapel, the ICA, Koko, and Tate Britain, as well as across Europe. They have shared stages with Kronos Quartet, Silver Apples, Caribou, Fink, and Bonobo. Early shows were as a duo, but they are usually joined by drummer Aram Zarikian and
- field
- Electronic music, post-rock
- nationality
- British
- based_in
- Brighton, England
- known_for
- Landscape-based concepts, hidden cassette artefacts, remix work
Lore & Background
Grasscut have released two albums on Ninja Tune, 1 inch: 1/2 Mile (2010) and Unearth (2012). Their third album, Everyone Was a Bird, was released by Lo Recordings in 2015. Contributors to Grasscut's albums include Robert Wyatt, John Surman, Adrian Crowley, Gazelle Twin, Seb Rochford, Oddfellows Casino, and Elisabeth Nygård. Grasscut have remixed artists including Bonobo, Coldcut, Jaga Jazzist, Leo Abrahams, and John Metcalfe; in turn, they have been remixed by Bibio, Nathan Fake, and Penguin Cafe.
Following the release of 1 Inch: ½ Mile, Clash magazine described Grasscut as 'genuinely daring electronica artists', with the album appearing as Mojo magazine’s electronica album of the month, one of iDJ’s debut albums of the year and one of the top ten pop albums of the year according to the Sunday Telegraph. Speaking to the Quietus website, Tom Robinson of BBC 6 Music named it one of his top 13 albums of all time. According to Andy Gill of The Independent, Grasscut's second album, Unearth, should have been on the Mercury list. Both records won 5-star reviews from the Telegraph.
Reader's Guide
Grasscut's significance lies in their integration of electronic music with landscape-based storytelling, often realized through hidden cassette artefacts and maps. Their debut album 1 Inch: ½ Mile came with a map detailing a walk through the ‘lost’ village of Balsdean, and an audio clue led to a hidden cassette. This concept was extended on Unearth, where 'shadow' versions of each track were secreted with Walkmans in locations around England and Wales. Their music has been used in television (The New Pope, Waterloo Road, Continuum) and advertising, including a K-Mart Christmas campaign. The group has performed at venues such as Cecil Sharp House, Union Chapel, the ICA, Koko, and Tate Britain, and at festivals including the Big Chill. They have shared stages with Kronos Quartet, Silver Apples, Caribou, Fink, and Bonobo. Their third album, Everyone Was a Bird, was described by Clash as 'an engrossing, artful work' and by The Quietus as 'that rare slab of post-rock that uses the genre's textures and general ethos of exploration to create new sounds instead of rehashing old ones.' The liner notes were written by landscape writer Robert Macfarlane.
Did You Know?
- Grasscut's debut album 1 Inch: ½ Mile came with a map detailing a walk through the lost village of Balsdean, near Brighton.
- For their second album Unearth, 'shadow' versions of each track were hidden on cassette with Walkmans in specific locations around England and Wales.
- Grasscut's music has been used in the soundtracks of The New Pope, Waterloo Road, and Continuum.
- Their hit single 'The Lights - M25 Version' was featured in K-Mart's annual Christmas commercials during the 2012 holiday shopping season.
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