The resurgence of folk music, thanks largely to bands like Mumford and Sons and artists such as Ben Howard, has opened the door to many new talents who can now commercially make inroads into the music industry.

Ollie Dixon is certainly one of these. His first album was released in 2017, with 2018 and 19 focusing on touring, it is now that a second small EP named ‘No man is an island’ is released. Here and now, the fourth track is an absolute triumph. It emphasizes the importance of appreciating the moment and not wasting time, enjoy the world, the relationships you make with people and be grateful. Combining complex guitar work that skips merrily through a maize of fretboard trickery is a beautiful, haunting yet soulful vocal line that transports you to the rugged hills of Dartmoor, the crashing waves of the Cornwall coast, or even a lonely stroll through a midnight city. 

Texture is everywhere in this song, the guitar is so clear, with the open E string ringing throughout phrases and subtle percussion added through the verses that raises the tempo and brings tension back to the song. The bass sits simply underneath, supporting the vocal melody which develops soft harmonies in and out of the verse and chorus. Towards the end we are taken to new levels of pace and energy, with some wonderful combinations of acoustic and electric guitar, working together to provide suspense. Hearing this live would excite and energise any crowd. 

What Ollie Dixon has done with ‘Here & Now’ is to stick to the roots of folk music, with relevant lyrics echoing the importance of living in the present, but yet being free enough to give his own style, energy and skill. This has created a unique sounding song that will no doubt make 2020 a very exciting year for him.