Memorably described as Elbow for seafarers and ramblers, the harp 'n' banjo driven electronica of Harp and a Monkey is imbued with a Deep Lancashire sensibility that shines through in their beautifully crafted and sometimes spooky vignettes of Northern life, love and remembrance. The trio of Martin Purdy, Andy Smith and Simon Jones channel the ghosts of summers spent in municipal parks and winters walking on the moors. Ask them about their influences, and they will cite Ordnance Survey maps, The Commonwealth War Grave Commission, Delia Derbyshire, bee keepers, Ralph Vaughan Williams, the M62 motorway, Oliver Postgate, the BBC, the night bus home, Alan Turing, The Pennines, Elizabeth Gaskell, freshly brewed tea, Hylda Baker and A. A. Milne. They add, “We love everything from Beethoven to Bert Jansch and Boards of Canada.” Harp and a Monkey were formed in late 2008 and have been building up a strong following around the north of England via the old fashioned practice of relentless gigging. Leftfield yet highly accessible, their hauntological folk-electronica is underpinned by a firm commitment to classic songsmithery. www.harpandamonkey.com/
