DREAMERS
Overview
Dreamers is a small, DIY recording space near Southampton, Hampshire, England, used by singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka and multi-instrumentalist Joe Connell. Housed in a single-room building constructed from cob, its rustic appearance prompted Kiwanuka to describe it as a “medieval hut”. Situated close to his home, it offered somewhere to experiment between larger recording projects, allowing him to drop in for an hour rather than organise a formal studio session. Kiwanuka used his Mercury Prize winnings to purchase a mixing console and gradually equipped the room, while Connell contributed instruments and arrangements. Together they named the workspace Dreamers and developed an informal approach centred on improvisation, extended performances and spontaneous ideas, often recording songs in single takes. These sessions became the foundation of ‘FUDGE’. Although producer Dom Monks and string arranger Rosie Danvers subsequently helped complete the recordings, some string-quartet performances were captured at Dreamers itself, demonstrating how much could be achieved within its modest footprint.
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