Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich and Dhani Harrison have forged an unexpected creative alliance under the moniker Dragonflies, culminating in an upcoming self-titled debut album slated for September 18 via Dark Horse Records and BMG.
A Pandemic Connection Born in a Brixton Studio
The collaboration between Harrison and Godrich materialized during the COVID-19 pandemic. Harrison, navigating a period of transition after relocating back to England following two decades based primarily in Los Angeles, reached out to Godrich for guidance while assembling his 2023 solo album, Innerstanding. That initial consultation evolved into a standing invitation to work out of Godrich’s Brixton studio.
“I was going mad doing Innerstanding, and I called Nigel, like, ‘Help! I have lost perspective,'” Harrison recalled during a video conference call. For Godrich, the partnership provided a welcome outlet during a quiet period between major projects. The two veteran musicians quickly found common ground, discovering a collaborative vehicle that moved both of their creative trajectories forward.
Building Songs From Live Tape Loops
Rather than relying on traditional tracking methods, the duo constructed the foundation of their eight-track album through a meticulous, hands-on analog tape loop process.
“We’re using analog gear, and there are no synthesizers… no computers were harmed in the making of this record,” Harrison noted. Godrich likened the tape loop methodology to playing a friendly game of tennis. Instead of acting as a superficial embellishment, the loop served as a writing tool—a way to generate spontaneous musical dialogue between two friends.
“I approach a lot of things from the perspective of scoring a movie,” Harrison explained, describing how he brought textural guitar work over his pedal board while seeing visual narratives unfold on the piano. Godrich then curated and arranged those elements, resulting in atmospheric compositions that blend organic instrumentation with subtle trip-hop echoes.
An Earthbound Space Rock Arc
The resulting self-titled record spans eight distinct tracks designed to guide the listener through a deliberate emotional narrative.
The project also featured contributions from percussionist Joey Waronker—Godrich’s bandmate from Atoms for Peace—alongside arranger David Campbell, who provided string arrangements for tracks like “In Between.” Lead single “Slower” sets the atmospheric tone for the release, while the concluding track, “End of World,” and other pieces like “Ophelia” weave together intricate piano loops and angular pop structures.
Looking Beyond the Debut
Both artists balanced the creation of Dragonflies with separate high-profile endeavors. Godrich collaborated with Beck for a fifth time on the record Ride Lonesome, arriving on the same release date as Dragonflies. Meanwhile, Harrison maintained a busy schedule touring with Jeff Lynne’s ELO, managing his late father George Harrison’s estate, and contributing to collaborative multimedia projects.
Despite demanding schedules, the duo views Dragonflies not as a fleeting side project, but as the establishment of a lasting collaborative language. “If you are a composer working with a director, you have to build a language,” Harrison said. “Now that we have our language, there’s a bunch of stuff as well that we haven’t finished, so we’ll just try and find some time.”
With a self-imposed album arc that stretches from the opening notes of “Slower” to the field-recorded chirping of Australian crickets at the close, Dragonflies marks a significant new chapter for two established sonic architects. As the September 18 release date approaches, both musicians have made it clear that more material is waiting in the wings. What are your thoughts on this analog-driven collaboration between Godrich and Harrison? Let us know in the comments below.
