Brothers who ‘made up songs to Lego’ as kids have released a Machynlleth-based single and music video.
Liam and Siôn Rickard created Lofi Jones after a lifetime of playing together.
From Lego to a recording studio, the bilingual Welsh songwriters have become award-winning, known for their offbeat humour and indie-folk style.
Now they’ve dropped the single Bad Technology.
Siôn said: “We compare our humour to Flight of the Concordes.
“Our sound isn’t mainstream but I think that works in our favour for people who want to hear something different.
“We’re, accessible, unpretentious and don’t take ourselves too seriously- this song is a cathartic rant against technology.”
The pair worked with Welsh production team Trigger Happy Creative to create the video funded by BBC Horizons, and Machynlleth-based musicians Nicaraguan Rolando Bertrand and ‘Badger’ Brown.
Using their connections across the Dyfi Valley, the pair recruited friends to collect junk to create the videos ‘junk idol’, filmed at Machynlleth’s Reclamation Yard.
The pair are well-known on Welsh TV, regularly starring on S4C’s Noson Lawen, in no small part thanks to their talented videographer sister Ciara Rickard.
Siôn, 31, who grew up with Liam in Betws-y-Coed said the pair flourished at school where they would compose songs together, using the practice room with or without permission: “We started playing together when we were very little - wherever there was a piano we’d be there making abstract music annoying people.
“We were geeky kids, making songs about orks.”
Despite the pair going their separate ways to university - Siôn to drama school in London and Liam to Nottingham to study architecture - they found their way back together in Cardiff 2020.
They rebranded from Naughty Magic Simon, becoming Lofi Jones in a hired-out shipping container before settling in Machynlleth in 2022.
Liam, 33 said: “Moving here I found Machynlleth was a hub for Welsh folk with Cerys Hafana, then in nearby Braich Goch there is Columbian music and the bi-annual El Sueño festival brings South American influence.
Listen to Bad Technology and the upcoming EP on 19 July here.