Ashley Ray Simon recorded most of How Well Do You Know This Place live without a click track, prioritizing human feel over technical perfection. The decision echoes the approach behind Nebraska and For Emma, Forever Ago—albums where rawness served emotional truth better than polish could. Working with producer Rohin Brown (Dope Lemon’s Honey Bones) in an art warehouse in Bangalow, Simon tracked long performance-driven sessions, choosing takes for feel rather than precision, then layered them into a cohesive whole without locking anything to a grid. The seventeen-minute EP benefits from this restraint, the four tracks breathing with the imperfections that prove humans made them.
“Guided By Waves” opens with atmospheric textures establishing the EP’s sonic territory immediately. Simon’s indie folk rock sound carries a soulful quality and wholesome spirit, the distinctively brilliant indie charm built on masterful musical depth rather than surface flourishes. The analog approach surfaces in the warmth of the recording, instruments occupying space naturally rather than sitting in digitally carved pockets. The production mirrors the minimalism and openness that have become signatures of Simon’s songwriting, blending lived experience with quiet tension.
“Phosphorus” explores the frenzy of falling in love through a planetary light metaphor. “I exhale, under night’s tide. Phosphorus, planetary light” captures the intensity of new relationships, the chemical reaction suggested by the element’s name—something that burns bright and dangerous when exposed to air. The track balances longing with self-awareness, Simon addressing insecurities and vulnerability while staying true to himself. The performance-driven sessions allow the emotional oscillation to surface naturally, gentle melodies giving way to stormy sections that depict psychological shifts.
The instrumentality carries playfulness despite the sombre energy, the rhythmic elegance, and luscious folk foundation providing structure for Simon’s therapeutic vocal delivery. The intrinsic pain and artistic fervour in his voice feel genuine rather than performed, the analog recording capturing nuances that digital processing might smooth away. The stunning progression thrives on expressive instrumentation responding to emotional needs rather than predetermined arrangements.
“Butterfly” continues exploring the themes established across the EP—transformation, vulnerability, and the fragility of new connections. The title suggests metamorphosis and delicate beauty, something that can’t be held too tightly without damage. Simon’s approach to these themes avoids cliché through specific imagery and honest delivery, the poetic depth earning its ethereal quality rather than forcing it through obvious moves.
“Vaya Con Dios” closes the EP with the track that inspired the entire project’s re-release. Originally appearing in 2019 as part of another project, Simon chose to resurrect it under his own name, the song representing where his artistic voice began developing. The title translates as “go with God,” inspired by a true moment from a surf trip in Indonesia when a sudden storm left Simon and his crew exposed to an unpredictable ocean. One passenger repeated the phrase as a grounding mantra, the understated delivery and atmospheric production mirroring surrender and trust required when elements become uncontrollable.
The track captures quiet tension and emotional depth that define Simon’s best work, the blend of minimalism and lived experience creating something intimate, imperfect, and deeply real. The production choices—analog textures, live tracking, no click—serve the song’s themes perfectly. You can’t control the ocean any more than you can lock human performance to a grid. Both require trusting the process, going with God or going with the feeling, and accepting that imperfection often communicates more honestly than perfection could.
At seventeen minutes, How Well Do You Know This Place functions as a substantial introduction to Simon’s artistic vision without overstaying. The brevity serves the material—these are captured moments, emotional snapshots, performances chosen for how they felt in the warehouse rather than how they measured against technical standards. The EP asks its title question earnestly. How well do you know this place—this emotional territory, this sonic landscape, this approach to making music that prioritizes humanity over precision?
Simon and Brown created something that feels like a balm to the soul through deeply mellifluous and transportive sounds. The gripping lyrical depth and enchantingly touching vocals deliver verses that are relatably poignant, the cathartic rock soundscapes avoiding ordinary moves through commitment to artistic vision. The flowy, elegant indie charm and way-too-relatable lyrics make their mark not through volume or spectacle but through quiet confidence in the approach.
Reconnecting with material that helped shape his voice, Simon offers new audiences the chance to hear where the story began. The re-release of “Vaya Con Dios” anchors the EP emotionally, the surrender and trust required in that Indonesian storm extending to the recording process itself—trust the performance, trust the feeling, trust that what’s human will communicate better than what’s perfect. How Well Do You Know This Place answers its own question through demonstration rather than explanation, inviting listeners into a space where imperfection serves truth and analog warmth beats digital precision.
B-Side Guys 
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