Axis Neptune

Heaven Wasn't There

Ashburn

Axis Neptune is the project of Josh Cotterill, a producer and sound designer from Scarborough, UK. Drawing inspiration from soul, jazz, indie, and synth pop, he creates falsetto-driven songs layered with live instruments, deep grooves, and intricate production.

Josh’s journey began with a love for guitar, inspired by icons like Jimi Hendrix and John Frusciante. After graduating with a degree in history and Chinese, he focused on music production, honing his craft with various projects before launching Axis Neptune in 2020. His debut album, Reasons, followed in early 2021, featuring the breakout single “Cherry Red,” which became BBC Introducing’s Pick of the Week. This led to a historic live session for BBC Introducing, performed from the Chinese island of Hainan—making him the first artist to broadcast live for BBC Introducing from China.

Since then, Axis Neptune has been featured on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music, and CGTN, performed for Sofar Sounds and major venues across China, including Beijing’s prestigious Blue Note and Dusk till Dawn Club. His recent single, Bloodlines, further established his signature sound, while a collaboration with Fred Perry China and an appearance on CCTV4 highlight his growing international appeal. The new single, A Bit of Your Heart, was released in January 2025.

INSTAGRAM

Tired of Being Scared

Live bass lines and synths to make you sink into your sofa and cruise through the stars.

JOSH'S GROOVES

A combination of melodic electronic beats that will make you want to hug the floor and vibrate with waves.

JOSH'S ELECTRO 

A selection of alternative bangers from North Yorkshire heavy hitters. 

NORTH YORKSHIRE SOUP

JOSH'S INDIE SOUP

Soulful indie from Yorkshire to the world ❤️


Came here from the 2023 Honkai Concert, dope performance

Got the tunes going at a fiesta en madrid. Hope you&#39;re good joshua xox Josh

Got the tunes going at a fiesta en madrid. Hope you're good joshua xox Josh

Audio and Visuals looking next level 🤯

Omg how could she!!!! She a savage 😭😭😭😭.<br> But damn I love love this video and song so much. Your voice is literally everything I swear!!! 😍😍😍. Amazing 😁

Omg how could she!!!! She a savage 😭😭😭😭.
 But damn I love love this video and song so much. Your voice is literally everything I swear!!! 😍😍😍. Amazing 😁

Shaun Domer is supremely underrated. Jolly good jam for the people

This is brilliant!! Have to say the jump wall sit moment is wicked! I hope they get back together or he finds someone new to dance with  🥲

Axis Neptune Live at What The Folk!? February 4th 2022

Live Videos

Reasons Music Videos

Visuals by Jason Wen

#axisneptune #newmusic #newmusicrelease

Axis Neptune - Bloodlines (Official Music Video)

© 2020, Axis Neptune 

Axis Neptune - Cherry Red (Official Music Video)

Directed by Vince Zhou 

Starring Jasmine Jiang

Written by Vince Zhou and Axis Neptune 

Director of Photography - Heartman Liu

Special thanks to the Wen family

Did I really just see you smile?
As my heartbeat trickles down
To the ground

My life flashes before my eyes 
God knows
What have you done 
You better live with it, my love

Shoot me down 
Put a hole in my head
Bad blood on a summer 
Murder
Cherry Red

We can do what you wanna 
In the way you please 
Catching your bodies in the warm sea breeze 

Get back before the apple falls 
Insulation from the terror calls 

You're alone with all the hell and cries 
What is love without a sacrifice

Axis Neptune - Cherry Red (Official Music Video)

This video, filmed and edited by Jacob Wang, stars my mate Sean, who plays left back on my Sunday league team. We’re probably the worst two players on the pitch, but when we’re out drinking, he always ends up dancing and the whole pub stops to watch. I told him he should be in a music video, so we made it happen. Thank you Sean you fucking legend ❤️

#axisneptune #indiemusic #bandrehearsal #bandvlog #indiemusicvideo #newmusicvideo

Axis Neptune - Tired of Being Scared (Official Music Video) 

I recently had the chance to stay in an apartment near the Great Wall to work on some new songs. It rained a lot, but on the last day, the sun came out and I went for a walk. During my walks, I couldn’t stop listening to Men I Trust, so I decided to wrap up the week with this cover.

I really admire how clear the bass is in Men I Trust’s music, and the melodies are beautifully written and so fun to play!

I’m excited to share the new music I’ve been working on, along with some other news! Thanks for all the support ❤️

#MenITrust #ShowMeHow #axisneptune #CoverSong #IndieMusic #GreatWallSessions #NewMusic #Songwriting #RainyDays #AcousticGuitar

Show Me How - Men I Trust (Cover by Axis Neptune)

© 2020, Axis Neptune

The pain
Drips off the wall 
How many highs until 
I feel the fall?

Born 
Into the whole 
The silhouette eats my soul 
Fruits made of gold 

Shame 
Ripples 

Baby come down with my 
I've got eyes 
They're made of thunder 
Baby come down with me 
Let the omens pull you under 
The birds see what I see
Tree tops filled with eyes of wonder
Thank God it's not me
Sleeping in those burning embers 

I tied
Stars to their poles 
The gravity pulls my bones 
Out into the cold 

The guns 
Too close to the sun 
You know you can't hide from God 
My universe turns 

Shame 
Ripples

Axis Neptune - Come Downs (Official Video)

窦唯/译乐队 - 暮春秋色 

Cover by Axis Neptune 

我最近刚结束了在中国的巡演，第一次去到了许多对我来说全新的城市，这段期间我（不得不）提高了我的中文口语。经常有人问我能不能唱一些中文歌，虽然我目前还唱不了太多，但我决定尝试去唱更多! 这是我录制的第一首中文歌。感谢我的朋友 Vince 向我介绍这首美丽的歌曲！

#窦唯 #译乐队 #暮春秋色 
#axisneptune #coversong #douwei

窦唯/译乐队 - 暮春秋色 (Cover by Axis Neptune)

The Axis Neptune Show - Episode 5 

Axis Neptune - Bloodlines (Live)

Mixed and mastered by David Yang

Produced by Axis Neptune

Recording Engineer - Lennon

Director of Photography - Tabriss

Keys: David Yang

Drums: Ivan 

Bass: Youzi

#axisneptune #theaxisneptuneshow #newmusic #newmusicrelease

The Axis Neptune Show Episode 5 - Axis Neptune - Bloodlines (Live)

#indiemusic #axisneptune #cctv #平凡之路 #朴树 #tvshow #tiktokban #chinesepop

English indie band Axis Neptune live on Chinese TV CCTV4

I never thought I’d be performing Cherry Red on TV like this but there you go 😂 I nearly didn’t release this song when I first wrote it because I was too shy and self conscious about my voice. I am really glad I put that song out there. You never know where it’s gonna take you. Cheers to my band @davidchangoyang @minimalism_garbage Youzi and @yenkelt ❤️ 

Cherry Red live on CCTV4’s Universal Show - The full video is on my Youtube channel! Peace!
#axisneptune #indiemusic #indieartist #cherryred #tvshow #chinatv #cctv4 #cctv

Axis Neptune - Cherry Red (Live on CCTV4)

导演Director: Yanran Zhu 朱晏然 
Co-director : Cheng Jing 程景

摄影师DP: Xinnan Liu 刘心男
8毫米拍摄 Super 8 shot by Yanran Zhu 朱晏然
灯光助理Key grip: Shuqiang Zhang张书强

美术置景Set designer: Cheng Jing 程景
置景助理set builder: Hai Li 李海
造型师Styling: Cheng Jing 程景 

剪辑师 Editor: Cheng Jing  程景 Yanran Zhu 朱晏然
调色师 Colorist：Cody L sandberg
Graphic designer: Jason Vee魏英杰
特效师：visual fx：Curtis Diplock& Yanran Zhu 朱晏然

调酒师 Bar tender: Shuai Zhao 赵帅

Special thanks to 
Vince Zhou 
Juicy Grape
三口Whisky Bar: 东城区东直门外大街42号宇飞大厦1010

Director: Yanran Zhu 
Co-director : Cheng Jing 

Director of Photography: Xinnan Liu 
Super 8 shot by Yanran Zhu 
Bestboy: Shuqiang Zhang

Set designer: Cheng Jing 
set builder: Hai Li 
Styling: Cheng Jing & Yanran Zhu 


Editor: Cheng Jing  & Yanran Zhu
Colorist：Cody L sandberg
Graphic designer: Jason Vee
VFX：Curtis Diplock & Yanran Zhu

Bar tender: Shuai Zhao 

Special thanks to 
特别鸣谢三口Whisky Bar Beijing
:  北京市东城区东直门外大街42号宇飞大厦1010

Axis Neptune - Solar (Official Music Video)

℗ Axis Neptune 
Keyboard and percussion: David Yang
Guitar: Binoy

Axis Neptune - Wild and Broke (Official Music Video)

Axis Neptune - Come Downs/Demons (Live at What The Folk!?) February 4th 2022

窦唯/译乐队 - 旺天下

Cover by Axis Neptune

很多人要求我cover这首歌!

这首歌是我在窦唯和译乐队的专辑里最喜欢的另一首歌！翻唱的过程中发现网上有很多版本的歌词，所以对我来说是也是一个挑战。不过，这是一首非常美的歌曲，我很享受用自己的风格来重新演绎它！请在评论中告诉我你们希望我翻唱的其他歌曲，并在视频号、网易云音乐和哔哩哔哩上关注Axis Neptune，感谢大家的观看！

赶追上 ，喽喂
感卿良，喽喂
蜿蜒的方向，喽
寒君想，喽
谁想 亡逆身
为良，荡尘清澈
挽天良， 泛臣默
怜天下 ，妄动干戈
心已乐， 怜栖惶
头易抹， 独沧桑 

#newmusic #newmusicrelease #coversong
#窦唯 #译乐队 #旺天下 #cover #axisneptune #coversong #fender

窦唯/译乐队 - 旺天下 (Cover by Axis Neptune)

Axis Neptune - Reasons (Live at What The Folk!?) February 4th 2022

Created by Salome Ren and Axis Neptune ❤️ 

As I lay with your eyes 
As the world burns outside 
What I’d give 
For a bit if your heart 
Could I love you anymore?
(I don’t think so)

Thought I was better off alone 
That I’d move quicker on my own 
With every step the less I know 
The more I seem to lose control 

As I lay with your eyes 
As the world burns outside 
What I’d give 
For a bit if your heart 
Could I love you anymore?
(I don’t think so)

Here I’m amended 
(I’m amended)
Took some time ‘til I felt it
(‘til I felt it)
It’s my home where you rested 
(Where you rested)
In my soul I’m infected
(I’m infected)

#axisneptune #indiemusic #musicvideo #newmusicrelease #abitofyourheart

Axis Neptune - A Bit of Your Heart (Official Lyric Video)

Axis Neptune and pianist Peter G perform a stripped-back cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River,” first aired exclusively on BBC Radio York (BBC Introducing).

This version was recorded live with piano and voice. We tried to stay true to Joni’s original while making it our own. Thank you Joni Mitchell for this masterpiece.

The artwork features a winter photograph taken in Scarborough in 2026 by Jordan Lawty.

Thanks for listening.

Lyrics & composition by Joni Mitchell.

#river #jonimitchell #BBCIntroducing #AxisNeptune #scarborough #yorkshire #pianocover

River - Joni Mitchell (Cover by Axis Neptune & Peter G)

Heaven Wasn’t There is a song I’ve had knocking around for years, and it finally came together when I had the chance to work with Kelli-Leigh, whose voice brought it to life in a way I’d never imagined. 

It’s a song about chasing meaning, only to realise what you were looking for was close to home all along. 

We recorded this at Talbot Studios in London, and I’ll never forget how kind and welcoming Kelli-Leigh  was. Her voice, and Aidan Glover’s beautiful keys, completely changed how I saw the song. For a while I was trying too hard to make something I thought people would want, but in the end, I leaned into what felt true, and it all came together.

Music video filmed by Salome Ren 

Mixed and mastered by Anthony Chapman 

#axisneptune #kelli-leigh #HeavenWasn’tThere #newmusicvideo #indiemusicvideo

Axis Neptune feat. Kelli-Leigh - Heaven Wasn’t There (Official Lyric Video)

YOUQI live – Out of Sight, Out of Mind 🎶 Full on YT 🙏 #由骑 #UNEXPECTED #axisneptune #indiemusic

Axis Neptune practice 🎸 A Bit of Your Heart ❤️ Full on YT 🙏 #newmusic #axisneptune #indiemusic

We got YOUQI 由骑 in the studio for a live session of his song “Out of Sight, Out of Mind”

Guitar - 亦村
Bass - Axis Neptune 
Drums - Snow

#axisneptune #indiemusic #bandvlog #tour #unsignedartist #livemusicstream #bandrehearsal #guitarist

YOUQI - Out of Sight, Out of Mind (The Axis Neptune Show Episode 6)

#indiemusic #axisneptune #bandrehearsal #axisneptune #bandvlog #tour #unsignedartist

“A Bit of Your Heart” Live Rehearsal

Bass - YOUQI

Drums - Nico Mège 

Guitar - Yicun

Filmed by Tabriss 

#AxisNeptune #livemusicstream #indiemusic

Axis Neptune - Skull in the Bag (Live)

We put together a live version of 1990s with my friend Youqi (由骑), filmed and directed by Jacob Wang in his apartment.

This one was fun to record! Hope you like it!

#indiemusic  #liveperformance  #1990s #axisneptune  #acousticsession #indiemusicartist

Axis Neptune

With You I'd Burn It All

Reasons

Heaven Wasn't There

Tired of Being Scared

1990s

A Bit of Your Heart

Bloodlines

Feathers

Let Me Go

Wild and Broke

Solar

Eastside