It’s Easier to Just Call Him “Clifton”

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Simon Bridgefoot is the man behind The Parish of Little Clifton, whose music can be difficult to describe but easy to listen to. Perhaps one would categorize him as part of the Chillwave phenomenon sweeping the nation (though apparently I’m not hipster enough to know this). But his music is much more than just lo-fi, ambiant noise; it’s a story of life emulated by synthesizers and the vocal stylings of his friends and family. Though Simon writes, records, and mixes his own songs, his records are very much a group effort, and community is a big part of why he does what he does.

‘Clifton’ came from humble beginnings. As a child, Simon was surrounded by his musical family and took up guitar when he was around 10 years old. This lead later on to other instruments, but finding no fulfillment in playing the same simple chords over and over, he began to create drum beats on his computer. Gathering friends who shared his interests, Simon took what he learned from them to create his own unique sound and what is today The Parish of Little Clifton.

Throughout Simon’s life, he was inspired by the world around him, ranging from the sounds of his small town home in Agassiz to Vancouver’s bustling streets. Rather than trying to copy the music of others, he decided to extract what he got from the world and put it in musical form with the help of a pirated version of Reason, a type of digital music studio software, to hone his craft (later investing in a legitimate version of Reason as well as a MIDI controller for live performances.)

The Parish of Little Clifton has transformed greatly in less than a year, from first debuting with Pines/Sun this May to his EP Haselnus in July to his latest album, Portia ,which he released just last month. Nowadays, he wants to take it slow and create a better quality sound than those of which are found in his previous works, stating he would like to work harder on getting perfect recordings and mixing his music just right. Though Simon doesn’t see music as a career, he’s willing to see where his hobby will take him.

Photo from The Parish of Little Clifton’s Facebook Page

About the Author: Phoebe Lim

This Burnaby North grade 11 student has a passion for all things art, whether it be drawing, writing, film-making, or music. On most days she's on her computer for longer than she sleeps, painting in Photoshop, watching Youtube videos, and surfing the net for new and exciting music to add to her ever-expanding mélange of songs. She also spends time sitting at her piano writing tunes for her imaginary band. If she's not doing these things, she's hanging out with friends, playing volleyball, and baking cookies with her younger sister.

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