vienna ditto

Vienna Ditto

Vienna Ditto are an English group formed in 2008, based around Hatty Taylor and Nigel Firth. The act works with rockabilly, electronica and trip hop, and also uses blues and psychedelic elements in its sound.

The group begins as a laptop-based project, with Taylor on vocals and Firth on guitar and laptop. Scott Lawrence also appears in the early line-up on drums and laptop, making the act a three-piece at that stage. Their first track is called “Long Way Down”.

Early airplay comes through BBC Berkshire’s demo review panel and then BBC Radio 1, where Huw Stephens plays the track. The band is invited to perform on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury before they have played live or held a band rehearsal together. Their first live preparations include working from different locations in Reading, Oxford and London.

Firth’s guitar setup is improvised at first, including the use of an old amplifier found dumped in a front garden. The act starts from home recording, with early writing taking place on a laptop in a boat and in a bedroom.