An Old Town singer who is aiming to revive Swindon's music scene has talked about how the lockdown and pandemic shaped his new album. 

Jol Rose recently released Yesterday’s Waltz as his new single. The track is taken from his new album Welcome to Zombieland.

The album was recorded at Greenbridge’s Earthworm Recording Studio as well as Jol’s Old Town home during the coronavirus pandemic and he talks about how events over the last 20 months may have shaped his music. 

“I was working from home because of my day job,” he said. 

“So I had lots of free time. I recorded my second album Welcome To Zombieland in my home studio, working with local musicians.

“I learned during lockdown that you could still have a collaborative process despite not being able to meet people as you could record bits of a track, send it to someone else to add stuff or change and so on. 

"I sent stuff to friends who added various instruments and then it all comes back to me to mix it together. “

Jol also took part in a lot of virtual events over the course of the lockdown which included livestreams on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. 

He said several Swindon music communities came together to do what they could during the crisis. 

He even took part in last year’s Swindon Shuffle, which took place entirely online, by performing from the comfort of his garden. 

But he says he struggled with the lack of human contact during this time. 

“I think I probably did struggle, I’ve always needed people and I’ve always wanted to connect with people," he said.

It seems clear then that Jol’s experience though the lockdown has shaped his new album as he reveals that a lot of the tracks are about communities sticking together 

“Several of the songs are about – in spite of the regulations – we are a community and we need to find ways of connecting,

“The opening track is called Bright Side of the Street which is  all about how people can stand together and it draws from elements in the lockdown, like the whole people clapping in the street thing.”

“I reacted to the enforced isolation by creating songs that say I’m going to be here for you, let’s stand together when things get tough

“I’m not sure if I’d say that lockdown inspired me, but it definitely forced a psychological response.”

“Music is a way I can convey my feelings, but of course it’s a collective thing, when I perform there’s lots of conversations and interactivity 

“Communities are everything, connecting is everything.”