Brainchild of bassist and composer Matt Ridley, 'The Antidote' is a new and exciting quintet, bristling with young talent. Their eponymous album was recorded in October 2019, (yes, the name 'The Antidote' precedes the current Coronavirus crisis) where 12 tracks were cut over 3 days.

Ridley describes his inspiration for the music: "I spent a long time reflecting on musical culture in the UK, and my own identity and relationship with all of the different musics that I have encountered over 15 years of being a professional bassist. When it came down to it, I decided that what the English do really well, is rock, folk, and classical music. I realised that deep down, I've always wanted to rock out, to be wild and free, to fly unhindered and answerable to no-one. So I set out creating my own music, that would combine 'thinking man's' Rock music (Radiohead/Beatles…without the posturing and banal dumbing-down which is inevitable in mass-produced pop music), with Jazz improvisation (without falling foul of pretentious self-indulgence), simple, memorable, Folky melodies, and the detail, sensitivity, and emotional depth of Classical music."The result is 'The Antidote', remarkable for its depth, integrity, and refreshing insistence on strong melodic and thematic material.