(NZ) Body Of Work Releases 'Maudlin To None'

4 October 2024

Sarah Illingworth (a.k.a Body of Work) has released her second single from a collaboration with Manchester artist Dan B. Hill. 'Maudlin To None' is the next track from a small collection of break-up songs, titled Secondhand Blues.

'Maudlin To None' is a reflection on the pull between places an ex-pat can feel, as well as how easy it can be to romanticise a person when you're not around them day-to-day. It's also a nod to depression, and a nudge to keep on going, for those who find it hard to do sometimes.

'Maudlin To None' follows 'Bottle To Go', which was released on 16 August 2024. Communicating the pursuit of connection within the context of loneliness, 'Bottle To Go' pays homage to multiple relationships, acknowledging the importance of each of those influences to the artist.

Birthed in 2019 by the Birmingham-born, West Yorkshire-based Hill, who asked Illingworth to write lyrics for the pop tracks he'd banged out on Logic, the songs have finally been finished – several years after she moved back to Aotearoa c/o Covid.

With initial support from Cam Ballantyne (We Were Dangerous, Nude Tuesday), the songs were rearranged as live entities, mostly performed and entirely produced by Shannon Fowler (Tom Lark, Shannon Matthew Vanya, The Fuzzy Robes). Fowler engineered the tracks, assisted by Maude Morris (Lexxa, LIPS) on 'Bottle To Go' and 'Thinking Of You'. Julien Dyne (himself, The Circling Sun, Half Hexagon) plays drums on all three. Jeremy Toy (Leonard Charles, She's So Rad, Leonard Simpson Duo) mastered them. Thanks also to Big Pop and Big Fan for being supportive and generous, and providing studio space.

"I struggled to feel a sense of home for a long time," says Illingworth. "I did it to myself in many ways, moving around and moving on, but it's a bittersweet thing; having the opportunity to explore can leave you feeling disconnected, even while you're connecting with new people and communities – like you belong everywhere and nowhere all at once."

"I feel lucky to feel grounded now, close to family and friends, and like there doesn't need to be one individual that anchors me – other than myself and the person she's become."

Secondhand Blues* will be released on November 15 (date tbc, digital only).

Tracklist:

1. Bottle To Go
2. Maudlin To None
3. Thinking Of You

*The cost of making these recordings was covered in part by Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air's New Music Development fund.

ARTIST BIO – SARAH ILLINGWORTH
Sarah Illingworth is a writer and communications practitioner from Tāmaki Makaurau. She has a background in music journalism and academic communications, as well as writing to exorcise her feelings. Her musicianship's limited, but she's been working on it in her own time – particularly since she moved to Manchester in 2014. Now based back in Aotearoa, she's releasing the first of a number of songs she's been working on.

SONGWRITER BIO – Dan B. Hill
Dan B. Hill is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Birmingham, UK. Currently based in West Yorkshire, he did much time in Manchester, playing with an unlikely variety of acts, including Irma Vep, NASDAQ, and – gently – as himself. Happy to slide between worlds, he tried his hand at writing these pop tracks in 2019, and now they're finally emerging, under the influence of others.

PRODUCER BIO – SHANNON FOWLER
Shannon Fowler is an artist and producer from Ōtautahi. As well as making other people sound good, he makes music as Tom Lark, Shannon Matthew Vanya and The Fuzzy Robes. His 2023 Tom Lark album Brave Star saw him nominated for the 2023 APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka, the 2024 Taite Music Prize, and Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk Artist at the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards.

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