New York-based duo R. MISSING finally issued their first full-length album ‘Knife Shook The Hand’ at the end of 2024 having debuted in 2017 with the mini-album ‘Unsummering’.
Comprising of the enigmatic Sharon Shy and the even more elusive Toppy Frost, the pair originally bonded over their shared dislikes. With a shadowy brand of understated electronic pop noir characterised by Sharon Shy’s sad forlorn vocals and Toppy Frost’s ethereal synthesized backdrops, R. MISSING have focussed on standalone songs with ‘Crimeless’, ‘New Present City’, ‘All Alone With Seas’ and ‘Verónica Pass’ among the fine examples of their portfolio.
However, while releasing singles to streaming platforms has been very much the norm these last few years, the low profile presence of R. MISSING has meant they have passed many listeners by despite the quality of their work. However, ‘Knife Shook The Hand’ has now provided the long playing focal point that their music deserves; among the collection’s highlights were Party Fade Into Air’, Make It Starry Most’, ‘The Down That Creeps’ and ‘Sleep Will Darken It’.
Never sitting still for long, R. MISSING’s start to 2025 has been heralded by a wonderful new song ‘Fakesnow’ in collaboration with Johan Agebjörn; and it was via an introduction by the Swedish producer that ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK was able have a virtual chat across the Atlantic with Sharon Shy…
R. MISSING have finally released a full length long player ‘Knife Shook The Hand’, this might sound a silly question but does it now feel “proper”, like things have got “real” as a band? How has the audience response been?
The aim was just to create a fast way to locate all of our most recent releases. We feel no more or less “real” than before. The audience response has been nice.
‘Knife Shook The Hand’ is a striking title but I can’t help but notice that its cover artwork looking at you from behind staring at greenery is like the photos which THE KNIFE used around the time of ‘Shaking The Habitual’, was this a homage to the sibling duo?
No – but that sounds very interesting. I should have a look…
‘All Alone With Seas’ was a fine track but ultimately didn’t end up on the album, so how did you go about selecting which songs would form ‘Knife Shook Your Hand’?
‘Knife Shook Your Hand’ is a collection of songs released in 2024. ‘All Alone With Seas’ came out the year prior.
How would you describe your creative dynamic with Toppy Frost in R. MISSING, is it working in a room together or much more remote? Do you have specific roles?
We typically work remotely, although there are exceptions. I usually start with concepts and Henry then makes things come to fruition.
CHROMATICS are often cited in reviews of R. MISSING, but which artists have been key in influencing the sonic palette of R. MISSING?
It changes day after day, week after week. One day it might be French yé-yé, the next, Eurodance or Virna Lindt, then THE FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON or something else entirely. I’m generally more inspired by books than by other music, too.
Since the debut mini-album ‘Unsummering’ in 2017, R.MISSING had been following a “singles only” strategy, what was the thinking behind this? Was this to maximise the streaming algorithms or was it more down to practicality?
We change very quickly and often feel almost disconnected to a song soon after its completion. Releasing quickly sends out the message when it’s still very new and pertinent. I wait every evening for a world that’s fast, quiet and calm.
Would you say that ‘Crimeless’ released in 2021 helped R.MISSING achieve a wider profile breakthrough? What was it about the song do you think that made it so appealing?
That I don’t know. I can’t say for certain that it appeals to anyone. All I can say is that it’s a moment in time.
With ‘New Present City’, you went as far as commissioning a video to accompany it, did you work with the video director on the storyline or did you allow them total artistic freedom to interpret the music as they saw fit?
The director had a vision for the concept of the video that he made come to life all by himself. We cannot take any credit for that.
For ‘Sleep Will Darken It’ with its brilliant synth solo, you self-produced a very effective DIY video for it; with R. MISSING having projected an enigmatic image, how was it to perform in front of the camera?
Fast and unstudied. Just another starless night in the underpass parking somewhere.
So what is ‘The Down That Creeps’?
It’s the disquiet you might feel at Club Altair when the music stopping times up with the windows jamming.
With songs like ‘Jane Four’, ‘Get Careful Darker’, ‘Maryhead’, ‘Cry Quicker’ and ‘Imagination To Be Sad’, R. MISSING don’t mess about and all clock in under three minutes? Was it intentional to keep these songs short?
Not intentional. Concision is just my automatic feeling.
Do you have any favourite songs on the album and if so, why those particular ones?
No. The truth is I never really think about anything once it’s alive.
Since the album ‘Knife Shook The Hand’ came out, there has been a new single ‘Fakesnow’ with Johan Agebjörn, how did this come about and what was the writing process between you like?
Johan created an elegant dark Italo disco instrumental that luckily worked extremely well with a concept and lyrics we had floating in our brains for a while.
There was the 2023 collaboration ‘ Wear The Night Out’ with CAUSEWAY which was very fitting and they also made a ‘My Time As A Ghostly Someone Else’ remix. Are there anymore collaborations planned for the future with other producers and artists?
Quite possibly. Although I’m not the best at guessing the future, I’ve always wanted to be a sci-fi side character.
R. MISSING like to do the occasional cover version and these have ranged from new wave numbers like ‘I Could Be Happy’ and ‘Spellbound’ to soul classics such as ‘Superstition’, so how do you choose a song that will suit the R. MISSING aesthetic? Are there any more particular songs you would like to do?
A record label asked us to do several covers that suited several themes they had in mind. I’m not sure we’ll be doing any other covers.
What is next for R. MISSING? You don’t play live very often, is that something that might change in the future?
More releases. And yes, more live shows.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Sharon Shy
Special thanks to Johan Agebjörn
The album ‘Knife Shook Your Hand’ and the most recent single ‘Telepolartears’ are available digitally from https://rmissing.bandcamp.com/music
‘Fakesnow’, the collaboration with Johan Agebjörn is available from https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/album/fakesnow
https://www.facebook.com/rmissingmusic
https://www.instagram.com/r.missing/
https://www.threads.net/@r.missing
Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
27 January 2025
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