Snakefarm

The folky, funky, bluesy trip-hop of Snakefarm truly did come out of thin air. In this case, the air whirling around at the corner of Houston and Crosby Streets in New York City, circa summer 1995. Anna Domino was the lucky recipient of the brainstorm and the rest is history, though still in the making. From her childhood of movement from Tokyo to Michigan, Italy, and Canada, Domino learned the art of finding comfort in new places and eventually landed herself in Brussels, Belgium. Launching a solo career via the Les Disques du Crepuscule label, Domino released four albums and two EPs between 1984 and 1990 and garnered much critical praise for her art pop style. Guitarist Michel Delory joined her band in 1986 and would become her partner in both matrimonial and musical collaborations thereafter. A collection of Domino's tunes was issued in 1996 as Favorite Songs from the Twilight Years that would serve to keep her fans satiated while she and Delory formulated their next step into Snakefarm. Having been raised on a diet of Leadbelly, Odetta, and Mahalia Jackson and known for her offbeat musicality, putting a new spin on classic American folk songs was all but pulsing through Domino's veins. What Delory brought to the table was his experimental production sense and multi-instrument talents. Snakefarm released its debut Songs From My Funeral in 1999 on Kneeling Elephant Records and received great reviews.