“It's like a slow-motion one-man band” - Chichester gig

And if you’re wondering how to pronounce VLMV: “It’s definitively pronounced ALMA – just spelt very badly!” Pete explains.

“It was originally ALMA with two A’s and was named after the world's largest telescope in Chile, the biggest in the world at the time but it's since been replaced but what then happened was that we were struggling with places like Spotify because they were picking up other artists and it seems there are thousands of other artists called ALMA. And then a rather high-profile pop star came along on Universal with the name and we were told by the record label that we must change it.”

So Pete inverted the two A’s and so ALMA became VLMV: “The old logo was triangles with As and so I just set them up the other way.”

Originally there were two of them under the name, but post-pandemic it has just been Pete.

“The music is occasionally cross-over between classical and indie, very ambient, very slow-moving. There is very little percussion or drums. When I play it live it's vocal as well but on the album it is 50-50 vocals and instruments. As I say it's quite slow moving, slow paced. It's all layered. It is quite patient and slow in the build-up. It's like a slow-motion one-man band. It is quite ambient and I've had some success on the ambient playlists. It is not going to appeal to everyone. It's going to seem a bit boring for some people but if you're not in a rush, you will like it. I read a review that said it's not a style or an artist but it’s a mood and I like that.

“The concert is in the Assembly Room is my first Chichester gig under the name. I used to play in Chichester and run gigs for 15 different pub venues. VLMA has now existed for eight years but I've not played Chichester until now.” It comes as part of a two-week tour: “I'm just hoping for it to be busy. I've always had an idea of playing a show in Chichester but the trouble with Chichester was the venues, really but the Assembly Room seemed interesting .”

VLMA was formed in early 2015 and fronted by songwriter Pete joined by fellow Code-In-The-Clouder Ciaran Morahan. VLMV were signed immediately to Fierce Panda Records and released their debut self-titled mini album in August 2015 to critical acclaim from the likes of The Independent and Lauren Laverne. Their full-length follow-up Stranded Not Lost was released in February 2018 and was nominated for a PROG award later that year. Going solo since the enforced break and pandemic, 2022’s Sing With Abandon was released on Pete’s own label Nice Weather for Airstrikes. VLMV’s music has been seen and heard on screen all over the world and featured on The Champions League final 2019 and MTV’s Teen Mom.