Seattle-born, UK-based band Longboat explores Britain, London and everyday life through an American perspective on their forthcoming electronic album.
Seattle-born, UK-based band Longboat are set to release their new electronic album, Proud of My Postcode, at the end of September, offering a distinctive musical portrait of Britain, London and the everyday experiences of an American musician increasingly making the UK his home.
Recorded at Strongroom Studios in Shoreditch last August, with Will Davies engineering, Proud of My Postcode looks at Britain through Longboat’s personal perspective. Rather than attempting to create a definitive portrait of the country, the album focuses on the places, people, history and everyday details that have captured the artist’s attention.
From Seattle to London
Longboat was formed in Seattle in 2011 and is led by its founding musician, an original jazz tenor saxophonist and songwriter. While the project frequently operates as a solo studio outfit, Longboat can expand to incorporate live rock and jazz musicians, strings, horns and backing singers depending on the demands of each composition.
The artist’s connection with Britain has developed considerably over the years. The contrast between Seattle and the UK has become an important source of inspiration, with Seattle’s mountains, forests and wildlife providing a striking contrast to Britain’s thousands of years of history embedded within its cities, towns and landscapes.
That fascination extends beyond Britain’s famous landmarks. Longboat is particularly interested in the ordinary moments of British life — the habits, observations and small details that can easily be overlooked. This observational approach gives Proud of My Postcode its distinctive character.
“Proud of My Postcode doesn’t draw a complete picture of the UK, but I hope it helps to convey my affection for this country,” says Longboat’s founder.
An Album Built Around Observation
Rather than relying on conventional romantic songwriting, Longboat approaches music as a way of observing the world. The songs focus on people, places, history, culture and the contradictions of modern life.
This philosophy also extends to the way Longboat creates and performs music. The project remains committed to songwriting, recording and performance without the use of artificial intelligence, placing human creativity and musical agency at the centre of the work.
With Proud of My Postcode, that philosophy is turned towards Britain itself. The resulting electronic album captures the perspective of an American-born musician increasingly drawn to the history, character and everyday life of his adopted home.
A Prolific Musical Catalogue
Proud of My Postcode adds another chapter to an already extensive catalogue. Longboat has recorded 39 albums and written more than 500 songs over approximately 15 years, demonstrating a prolific and genre-fluid approach to music.
The project’s music can move between electronic, jazz and rock influences, with the line-up adapting according to what each individual piece requires. That flexibility has allowed Longboat to develop a catalogue driven by experimentation, observation and curiosity about the world around it.
Away from the studio, Longboat’s relationship with London is becoming increasingly direct. The artist has begun performing piano-only versions of around 100 songs from the band’s extensive repertoire around Clerkenwell, with plans to take these performances further afield.
With its release approaching, Proud of My Postcode presents Britain through fresh eyes — not as a conventional travelogue, but as the personal musical diary of an American artist finding inspiration in his adopted home.
