Category: Interviews (Page 7 of 111)

HELIX Interview

2 March 2024 /

HELIX are the North American synth power couple of solo artist Mari Kattman and ASSEMBLAGE 23’s Tom Shear.

Releasing their debut album ‘Twin’ in 2018, their busy schedules meant that there was no more from HELIX until 2021’s ‘Bad Dream’ EP. But their new EP ‘Unimaginable Place’ is their best body of work yet, dark yet strangely romantic and hopeful collection of songs combining elements of synthpop, dub, dance, trip hop, trap and more.

In an ‘Unimaginable Place’, Mari Kattman and Tom Shear gave ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK a wonderful insight into their creative relationship as HELIX and the workings of the modern music industry…

Both of you have been making music individually and in collaboration with others for a while, so was doing a music project together always a given?

Mari: I don’t think it was always a given per se. It’s certainly how things ended up, but our collaboration had as much to do with mutual respect and admiration of one another as people as well as artists. I think our personalities work amazing in a collaborative environment. As much as we may butt heads creatively once in a while, we are both extremely passionate, dedicated and artists that hold ourselves to a high standard of output. So it works out to being a success.

Tom: It’s funny, but the way it came together was that I had heard Mari’s previous project DAY TWELVE and really liked her voice. I had a track I was working on that I needed a harmony part that was higher than I could sing, so I asked her if she could do it and she nailed it. So I asked her to do some vocals on a remix I was working on. Then I asked her to sing on a SURVEILLANCE song. By that time it was like – wait, why don’t we have our own project together?!

What have been each of your favourite tracks done by the other?

Mari: I listened to Tom’s music occasionally before we met and over the years I would come to hear his stuff in passing with friends who were listening to his music or at clubs I was playing shows at. My favorite track from Tom was always ‘Cocoon’. It’s really atmospheric with that kind of reverb-y feel that is super dreamy. I also really appreciate the vocal being so present, clear, right up front. I always find myself tiring of the EBM stuff in general, it’s just so repetitive. So to hear this track in a sea of cookie cutter EBM, was a breath of fresh air. Tom always takes risks on every album which isn’t something most artists do, he will do something unique, out of the box and that’s really something that sets him apart.

Tom: I really like ‘Swallow’. It’s the whole package. It’s got a great rhythmic feel to it, an insistent hook, a really strong vocal and although the song title on its face might suggest something sexual, it’s actually about the struggles women deal with. I love that subversiveness. Honestly, though, it’s hard to pick. Mari’s really been getting stronger with each track she does. She’s been on fire lately!

What are your shared music likes but also any things that one liked that perhaps the other wasn’t very keen on? 😉

Mari: We are very similar, like eerily so, we even shared our common interest of Missy Elliott right when we first met. We also share a common background of punk rock music being our first real affair with music as teenagers. We both also have a HUGE appreciations for 90s electronic music. It’s really nice when there is much to bond about.

Tom: I think we really bonded over 90s music, particularly the electronic stuff. PORTISHEAD and MASSIVE ATTACK… hip-hop stuff like THE FUGEES and Missy Elliot. We’re both fans of 80s stuff, too, but I think the 90s ushered in a sort of darker sound overall that’s really appealing. I can’t really think of anything Mari likes that I hate.

In terms of your music partnership, how does it differ from your own established vehicles?

Mari: HELIX is a totally different sound than the Mari Kattman project. Tom is a true wonder with the cinematic, massive, string heavy, shimmering tracks. It’s fun to apply my vocals to the arrangements he comes up with. I am a totally different composer, I really focus my weight on edgy basslines and try and keep the song structures as simple as I can handle from a mixing perspective. When it comes to Tom holding the control over most of the music and having his expertise in mixing, we can totally push the limits of the stereo field, and we do.

Tom: For me, it’s a chance to just concentrate on the music and let someone else worry about the vocals and fronting the band. It’s refreshing.

Is there any style or approach that you have experimented with in HELIX that you perhaps wouldn’t normally go with?

Mari: We have totally done a lot of stuff that’s super 80s reminiscent. Not synthwave, but 80s 90s electronic music from a pop angle. It’s fun to be able to do whatever we feel like with this project, because it’s not meant to be a copycat of anything happening today. It’s truly a mish-mash of the music that has been inspirational to us in our lifetimes.

Tom: The thing that is the most fun for me is that I just kind of incorporate influences from different genres and squash them together to see if they gel. There’s elements of trip-hop, house, dance music, trap, hip-hop, rock, dub, synthpop in our stuff and somehow it just works.

How do you look back on the making of the debut HELIX album ‘Twin’ released in 2018?

Mari: ‘Twin’ wasn’t only a pleasure to write but it was a true bonding experience for Tom and I. I like to use the analogy of “message in a bottle” he was in Seattle and I was in Rhode Island. We were both working so hard to create things for each other that were outstanding. I would send him back vocals after he sent me a song and just pray that when he woke up in the morning to download my files that he would love what I did. It was a labor of love, for sure.

Tom: That one was a lot different from the EPs because we were living on opposite coasts at the time. So it was a different way of working and was definitely a lot less collaborative. I feel like that album was also about us figuring out what HELIX was going to be. What our sound would be. I much prefer being able to collaborate with Mari in person. We butt heads from time to time, but I think it always results in stronger songs.

Was following up ‘Twins’ with two EPs ‘Bad Dream’ and now ‘Unimaginable Place’ more a consequence of practicality as you are busy with your main creative outlets or was it more to do with today’s release strategies which do not appear to favour long playing formats on streaming services?

Mari: I am a big believer in catering to the limited attention span that most people have these days. However, this one was certainly a mix of both of our lives being very busy with the mundane tasks of daily life and yes, the limited attention span idea.

Tom: A little from column A, a little column B. We do feel like the way people consume music is much different from how it used to be. People have much shorter attention spans. I think it’s rare for someone to listen to an entire album from start to finish. So we thought EPs are more “digestible” and concentrated on making those four songs really good. We also figured it would allow us to release music more frequently, and I still hope that, but the reality has been that jobs, day-to-day life, etc slowed that pace down.

Social media has changed a lot even since ‘Bad Dream’, Twitter has turned into a nightmare while there is the rise of TikTok and the emergence of Threads… is this all getting too much?

Mari: I feel like everyoneis trying to get their 15 seconds of fame these days and to be honest, I couldn’t really be bothered. I really care about what I do, but I grew up in a time where things were much different. Physical looks were less important, followers were a non-issue, and musical quality was everything. I am extremely proud of my music but it’s hard for me to post videos and selfies everyday to promote, it all seems a big frivolous compared to the music product itself.

Tom: It’s hard to avoid the feeling that social media is overall a bad thing for humanity. The idea is great on paper, but the reality is it’s exploited as a really effective means of propaganda and spreading misinformation and it really brings out the worst in people a lot of times. I think I was happier before I knew so many crazy people walked among us.

What hardware, software and effects are you using in HELEX now, has there been anything that has been a particular revelation?

Tom: Hardware-wise I mostly used the ARP Odyssey, Roland SH-01a, Arturia Minifreak, and a borrowed Oberheim OB6. Softsynths used include U-he Repro, Kilohearts Phase Plant, Spectrasonics Omnisphere, Arturia Pigments, Inphonik RX-1200, my DAW’s sampler, and a ton more. I treated Mari’s vocals with a lot of stuff from Soundtoys, Valhalla, and others.

The ‘Unimaginable Place’ title song is a mighty club anthem that you can imagine being played at dark alternative establishment, are either of you much into dancing?

Mari: Tom is going to SAY he’s not into dancing, but believe me, he is. At least around the house to annoy our 8 year old daughter. In all honesty though, Tom and I are way more sedentary than we have any business being. haha.

Tom: I prefer to make other people dance than to dance myself. If you’ve ever seen me perform live you know why! I can’t dance to save my life. Which, as Mari mentioned, I have learned I can use to really bum out the kiddo to hilarious effect.

‘Lie To Herself’ ventures into some ominous tones, what is important to get the atmospheric of these types of downtempo songs right?

Mari: ‘Lie To Herself’ is truly a conversational piece, an outward thought. I think the main thing of importance with this track was to get the vocals situated to the front. The vocals truly took center stage when this one came together.

Tom: Atmosphere and texture are two important components of HELIX tracks. The song always comes first, but making it sound interesting and as if it inhabits a physical space of some sort really goes a long way towards creating a mood.

Was ‘Grey’ inspired by anything in particular, lyrically and musically?

Mari: I like to leave these lyrics up to fit whatever situation you are in and leave them there. I am trying to write about things that affect me these days. Feeling the weight of aging is something that a lot of us are dealing with right now. Where is the person I used to be? Am I still acceptable now that I’m not looking or feeling as youthful as I was? Is there still someone who will accept me when I’m not at my best?

Tom: Musically, I had been listening to a lot of old TANGERINE DREAM and was messing around with that sort of “Berlin School” type of sequenced synth line. I set it up to modulate a bunch of different parameters on the synth and set the modulation out of sync with one another so the sound is constantly shifting and evolving against itself. The rest of the song got built around that.

‘Hurt Like Me’ has this powerful but distressing backdrop, do either of you find catharsis in music or can these emotions take you back to difficult paces that are a challenge to deal with?

Mari: I have definitely used this project and my own to sort out a lot of the feelings I was having internally. The coolest part about being a musician is that you are sort of an alchemist of sorts. You can take something really crappy and turn it into something people can dance to! How many people can do that? Musicians also have the last word, always.

Tom: I find the process of making music really cathartic, regardless of the mood or subject matter. Just the process itself is such a satisfying way of working through difficult times or feelings. I guess there’s always the risk of “wallowing in it” a bit, but for me, just going through the process has always been really helpful for getting past tough times.

What do you get from doing HELIX that you perhaps might not doing music with your main vehicle?

Mari: Collaboration is a whole other animal than when you are writing alone. You must be open, willing to bend, willing to settle and you also get the pleasure of the other person’s point of view. You get to combine both of your skills that you have honed over the years. Tom brings so much to the table, he has had decades of experience composing, mixing and producing. It’s so beautiful to hear how HE interprets my voice, instead of just how I do it when I’m alone. It’s a privilege for me to work with him.

Tom: For me, I find it really refreshing to do something different from ASSEMBLAGE 23. I enjoy that too, of course, but to be able to step into a different musical world with different rules and processes helps keep things fresh and also keeps me learning new stuff all the time. I think it’s important that you keep trying to learn new stuff no matter how long you’ve been making music. Stepping outside your usual comfort zone is a really good way to do that. Plus, getting to work with the love of my life ain’t bad either.

What is next for you both, either together or alone or with others?

Mari: I am now working on my first full length solo album and I will finish it this year. I also have some collaborations coming out this year with the FiXT record label, another few tracks with Julian Beeston (FEATURED, CUBANATE, NITZER EBB). I also have another collab with Markus Renard (WOLFSHEIM). You will also be able to catch me on the next MESH album, a much anticipated release that I hope comes out this year as well. So stay tuned!

Tom: We’ve got a bunch of live shows coming up this year for ASSEMBLAGE 23, HELIX and Mari’s solo stuff. Other than that, I’m working on new A23 material, although I have no idea when it will eventually come out. It’s in the works, though!

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Mari Kattman and Tom Shear

‘Unimaginable Place’ is available as a digital EP from https://helix.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HelixElectronic

https://www.facebook.com/MariKattman

https://www.instagram.com/themarikattman/

https://assemblage23.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tom.shear.58/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ugssNdSLmoWa5vFW8hfOS

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
2 March 2024

ZANIAS Interview

3 February 2024 /

Photo by Hidrico Rubens

From adversity, there often can come great art…

First coming into public view as the front woman of LINEA ASPERA, Alison Lewis returns as ZANIAS with ‘Ecdysis’, the follow-up to 2023’s acclaimed album ‘Chrysalis’. Something of a rebirth, whereas ‘Chrysalis’ gathered a body of dark brooding songs documenting moments of extreme psychological pain, ‘Ecdysis’ was inspired by the increased acuity for the beauty in her surroundings that were also triggered.

“Ecdysis” is defined as the act of shedding an outer cuticular layer and through the experience of her traumas, Alison Lewis has emerged from her former self with the sound of things that make her feel ok when things aren’t ok…

Immersing herself in the Australian rainforest alone at night with the vibrations of diverse and ancient life, her mindset drifted into a rediscovery of what joy is. ‘Ecdysis’ does away with language and song structures in favour of something more alien and sensual with the end result being an electronically-derived soundscape influenced by DEAD CAN DANCE and FEVER RAY.

Self-describing ‘Ecdysis’ as “The sound of a guardian angel” during a deeply healing process, Alison Lewis spoke to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about its genesis, as well as her concerns for wider issues affecting the world…

Photo by Hidrico Rubens

Now you have had some distance, how do you look back on the making of ‘Chrysalis’ and that period?

It was difficult but I learned and grew so much, so there’s a touch of nostalgia there. The pandemic lockdowns weren’t quite over yet, so I had a stretch of time ahead of me that felt very free and open. I also had a bit more positivity about what the world might be like when the pandemic was ‘over’. I miss that.

The years since the lockdowns ended have felt too intense and hectic, and watching all my friends burn out one after the other isn’t pleasant. And the pandemic didn’t even end as we’d hoped. Instead we continue to sicken and our governments have chosen a war-hungry path in which any facade of ‘caring’ about us is all but dissolved. Our world is so horrifyingly dysfunctional and we need to start doing something about that.

Which was the key track for you from ‘Chrysalis’?

I really can’t choose just one. The whole requires every piece to function in the way I intended, and no single track can carry the entire weight of what it meant to me.

Were the shows that came in the lead up to the release of ‘Chrysalis’ and after helping to get things out of your system?

Every performance was a little catharsis, yes. I was also relieved that the tracks didn’t lose their power over time, and some even gained more. When a track is fresh, I need to focus on remembering it, but after a dozen or so shows it’s committed to muscle memory so deeply that I have to make the performance a little wilder in order to keep myself focused and entertained. This tends to always lead to better results.

Photo by Tim Darin

Has having Laura Bailey as a band mate made things more enjoyable for you on the road?

Having Laura a part of the band has increased my enjoyment exponentially. I wouldn’t keep doing this alone, there’s almost no reward stepping off stage without someone there who shared it with you, and having to worry about too many things makes it impossible to let go and really allow the music to speak its full verse.

In what ways is ‘Ecdysis’ a companion record to ‘Chrysalis’?

I call it music from the same planet, just slightly different dimensions. I made them with many of the same plugins and techniques, just took ‘Ecdysis’ a little further beyond the usual sound structures. I was producing so much music at the time, I wasn’t sure if it would be one long album or two, and then the tracks naturally divided themselves into two camps: the songs with words and the more abstract pieces with no words.

Photo by Tim Darin

On ‘Ecdysis’, you do away with conventional song lyrics although the album is not instrumental, how did idea come to use glossolalia about?

Glossolalia is not new for me and has been a natural part of my singing style for as long as I’ve been a singer. Discovering Lisa Gerrard in my teenage years just gave me the confidence to actually practice it, and I used it on one of the earliest demos I ever recorded at age 15. The tracks on ‘Ecsysis’ just didn’t call for lyrics, and by remaining wordless they can convey feelings that defy language.

I’m often frustrated by the limitations of language, the least of which is the fact that we don’t all speak the same one. And even when we do speak the same one, our ability to convey meaning is still subject to infinite subjectivities and misunderstandings. It’s very lonely when you really think about it, realising that no one will ever fully feel what you feel. Music, however, is a method of conveying meaning that remains efficient and accurate, and I think that’s the key to its importance to us. Sharing music allows us to share emotions in a way that can’t be misinterpreted, especially when words aren’t involved. Words are messy.

You’ve mentioned Lisa Gerrard as an influence on your music before, what has impressed you most about her?

Her inimitable voice that never fails to make me cry when I hear it live.

Photo by John Rohrer

‘Earthborn’ sets the scene as the album opener and first single with a variety of operatic and processed vocals over a dramatic soundscape, what was its genesis?

I honestly can’t remember much about it. I was writing from a state of pretty rabid focus at the time. Experimenting with tonnes of samples, plugins, pitching my voice up and down and running it through loads of effects. I’d just sit down at my laptop every night and start something new and see what happened. I was working on about 20 tracks at once. There was no aim in any of it except to create something beautiful and dramatic to work through the potent emotions I was feeling at that time. I vaguely remember that I was thinking a lot about human evolution and prehistory, and I think ‘Earthborn’ was a bit of a soundtrack to how we arrived where we are today. Full of heavy emotion and conflict – hence the sounds of swords and ancient battles.

Photo by Tim Darin

What techniques and tools were you using to manipulate and process your voice to produce the textures heard on the album? Was there something that was a particular creative revelation to you?

Ableton 11’s warp function that allows you to alter the formant of a sound as you pitch it up and down was a pretty huge part of the sound. I also used a bit of Soundtoys’ Little Alterboy but found the Ableton algorithm led to a really nice alteration to my voice that didn’t need much else. I also used the Ableton Grain Delay a lot, and its pitch function. I could create different characters this way. I also used a lot of another granular delay plugin called Portal. I’m really hooked on that now, and Portal abuse has definitely become part of my signature. I use it on everything.

The ‘Ecdysis’ title song has this wonderfully eerie quality yet is sparkles and is quite strident rhythmically, was it straightforward to get this juxtaposition of contrasting moods?

I really can’t say, these tracks come together in such a whirlwind and my process is always just one of “does this sound good to me? …How about this? …How about this?”. I’m not aiming for anything, and a track is just done when I decide there’s no more I can think of to make it sound ‘better’.

Photo by Tim Darin

How are you finding the current climate as an independent artist and label manager, what with also the “who shouts loudest” attitude that is very prevalent on social media now?

It’s becoming a bit impossible. I’m not really sure how long I can keep doing this because the demands are so high. We can’t make enough money from touring to justify the extreme toll it takes on us physically, and Bandcamp sales are sliding ever downwards so making money off the music is only getting harder too. We’re entering a stage of capitalism that is just so completely useless that it’s also becoming hard to justify putting so much energy into existing this way at all.

Musicians aren’t the only ones having their labour exploited: literally everyone is. No one is doing ok anymore, not even those completely saturated with privilege who are creating the problem. I think the main issue is that they so often misinterpret their dissatisfaction to mean they don’t have enough, when in fact it’s due to having too much. I’m no billionaire but I still say that as someone with immense privilege for which I am very grateful, yet I’ve still noticed that it doesn’t actually feel good when so many others don’t have it. Humans aren’t built to live in societies that are so highly stratified. We are most comfortable when those around us are ‘in the same boat’.

So we’re in a situation now where those at the top are miserable and desperately digging our grave deeper as though that’ll heal their pain, and those at the bottom are left too exhausted to resist and are even more susceptible to misinformation because stress decreases activity in our pre-frontal cortex, which is the area of our brains responsible for critical thinking. It’s a recipe for imminent disaster if we don’t take action soon, and those of us with any shred of energy left are the ones who need to start taking responsibility. If you can afford to look away, you’re probably in a position to help the most.

We should all be mobilising to take back our power because way too much is at stake. Music is still vitally important of course as a fibre of social connection and a purveyor of hope, but I don’t think anyone’s job is more important than revolution at this point. I’m sick of watching livestreamed genocide and I’m sick of feeling like our planet is dying and no one cares. A better future is 100% possible if we make it happen.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Alison Lewis

Additional thanks to Dan Volohov at Discipline PR

‘Ecdysis’ is released on 16 February 2024 via Fleisch Records (worldwide) and Metropolis Records (North America), available in limited edition blue / white coloured vinyl LP variations, CD and digital formats from https://zanias.bandcamp.com/album/ecdysis

https://www.facebook.com/zoe.zanias/

https://twitter.com/Zanias__

https://www.instagram.com/zoe_zanias/

https://www.patreon.com/zanias

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
3 February 2024

LLOYD COLE Interview

30 January 2024 /

Singer / songwriter Lloyd Cole is best known for his glum but jangly guitar-based tunes with his band THE COMMOTIONS.

With three Top20 UK albums to their name between 1984 to 1988, their best known songs were ‘Perfect Skin’, ‘Forest Fire’, ‘Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?’, ‘Brand New Friend’, ‘Lost Weekend’ and ‘Jennifer She Said’. Scottish band CAMERA OBSCURA later paid tribute to Cole’s poetic cynical romanticism with the song ‘Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken’.

More recently however, Lloyd Cole has recorded two albums ‘Guesswork’ and ‘On Pain’ which have primarily been synthesizer-based. But his journey into electronic music has not been a recent artistic whim. While studying Law at University College London, his neighbour Morris Gould, now known as underground electronica DJ Mixmaster Morris, lent him an EDP Wasp synthesizer for Cole’s only solo music performance at LSU. Another student introduced him to KRAFTWERK whose magnificent ‘Computer World’ show would later be declared by Cole as one of his favourite gigs of all time.

Transferring to Glasgow University to study Philosophy and English, he met his future bandmates keyboardist Blair Cowan, guitarist Neil Clark, bassist Lawrence Donegan and drummer Stephen Irvine to become LLOYD COLE & THE COMMOTIONS. With Cole demoing his songs using guitar, drum machine and a Yamaha DX7, word got out to London about the band’s eloquent melancholic pop.

On the back of interest in the city’s music scene which had produced ORANGE JUICE, ALTERED IMAGES and AZTEC CAMERA, the quintet were signed by Polydor Records, releasing their acclaimed debut album ‘Rattlesnakes’ in 1984 and achieving their highest chart placing with second album ’Easy Pieces’ in 1985.

Relocating to New York, Lloyd Cole went solo in 1990, experimenting with orchestral, folk and country styles along the way and even returning to a band format with THE NEGATIVES in 2000. Always “excited to still be finding new methods, new perspectives, new sounds”, he had already bought a Sequential Circuits Prophet VS and featured it on the ‘Mainstream’ album in 1987.

Later acquiring a Minimoog and various samplers, Cole used them sparingly on the 1993 psychedelic rock flavoured long player ‘Bad Vibes’, although the album was not well-received by his fans. Considering the album an artistic failure, he kept his songs traditional and his electronic interests purely instrumental, leading eventually to the excellent 2002 ambient electronic album ‘Plastic Wood’ made at his attic studio in Massachusetts.

Photo by Camillo Roedelius

A fan of CLUSTER, the cult German duo comprising of Hans-Joachim Roedelius and the late Dieter Moebius, ‘Plastic Wood’ recalled the spacious vibe of their now classic 1976 long player ‘Sowiesoso’. With his synthesizer secret not so secret anymore, a mutual friend passed the album over to Roedelius who was impressed and set about doing his own remix. On sending over Cole his reinterpretation, while the remixed ‘Plastic Wood’ has yet to see the light of day, Cole was flattered and the two discussed working together on a project in a similar manner.

Having assembled his first Eurorack modular synth which was steadily expanding, Cole created a number of minimal electronic sketches for Roedelius to develop in isolation with neither being together during the creative process. The finished tracks became 2013’s ‘Selected Studies, Vol1’, a thoughtful union of the sorcerer and the apprentice released by Bureau B.

Following an invitation by Bureau B to curate ‘Kollektion 02’, a retrospective of Roedelius’ music, the German label suggested to Cole that he could release a solo electronic album based on the unused material originally constructed for his collaboration with Roedelius. Although Cole considered himself to still be very much a student of electronic music, the resultant ‘1D Electronics 2012-2014’ boosted his confidence. However, an attempt at ‘Live Electronics’ in 2015 proved to be too big a challenge; two performances in Portugal were cancelled while a German show with Roedelius saw a return to his usual guitar and vocal format for his solo part of the set.

Undeterred, Cole allowed time to develop his prowess with synthesizers and programming. Applying these electronic textures and techniques to traditional songwriting, 2019’s ‘Guesswork’ album was a triumph. Reuniting with Blair Cowan and Neil Clark, the album’s first single ‘Violins’ took cues from Robert Palmer’s cult electronic pop favourite ‘Johnny & Mary’ but included a guitar solo at its conclusion to not totally alienate Cole’s following.

Opening ‘Guesswork’, ‘The Over Under’ was reminiscent of the sparse nocturnal atmospheres of THE BLUE NILE during their ‘Hats’ period. The most KRAFTWERK influenced song ‘Moments & Whatnots’ was like a second cousin to ‘Neon Lights’ while ‘When I Came Down From The Mountain’ offered the biggest surprise as a bouncy drum machine driven slice of synthpop.

Produced by Chris Hughes who had notably helmed the first two TEARS FOR FEARS albums, 2023’s ‘On Pain’ saw guitars make a more prominent but limited return but whereas ‘Guesswork’ had largely been traditional songs made electronic, a number of the follow-up’s tracks were composed bottom-up using synthesizers.

In an artistic diversion, the shimmering ‘I Can Hear Everything’ utilised voice treatments and the title track provided an emotive hybrid of synth arpeggios and guitar. The standout song from the album ‘The Idiot’ gave a touching synth-laden narrative on the relationship between David Bowie and Iggy Pop as they relocated to Berlin in 1976, while ‘This Can’t Be Happening’ wonderfully stripped things down to gentle pulsing and minimal strings.

The ‘On Pain’ campaign also saw external remixes employed with Chris Hughes and Mark Frith’s ‘Unlimited mix’ of ‘Wolves’ providing an unexpected groovy disco delight. The 2023 UK tour saw Lloyd Cole bring his new direction to the stage for the first time with “No sequences. Just loops and arpeggiators” alongside acoustic and electric band performances that included an unexpected rendition of ‘Headlights’ from ‘Plastic Wood’.

Just back from a one man tour of New Zealand and Australia, Lloyd Cole took time out from the golf course and had a quick chat with ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about his electronic adventures…

You are widely known as a traditional musician who plays guitar with the usual Bob Dylan and Lou Reed influences, but many will not be aware that one of your favourite concerts of all time is KRAFTWERK in 1981 on the ‘Computer World’ tour, how did your interest in electronic music begin?

My interest started with Fripp and Eno’s ‘No Pussyfooting’, I suppose. But let’s not forget ‘Son Of My Father’ by Chicory Tip. Number 1 single in the UK 1972. Moog bass and lead melodies, produced by Giorgio Moroder (or maybe he was in the band, I forget)! Also the ‘Doctor Who’ theme tune… after ‘No Pussyfooting’, I pretty much went where Brian Eno and David Bowie led me – so to CLUSTER and KRAFTWERK and Conny Plank. Strangely I was never taken by YMO…

You had released instrumental electronic works ‘Plastic Wood’, ‘Selected Studies Vol 1’ with Hans-Joachim Roedelius and ‘1D’ in the past while you had also covered ‘Pocket Calculator’ live with THE NEGATIVES, but what had been the spark to introduce more prominent synth textures into your song based material?

I just wanted to make records which could sit next to music I was listening to. I was listening to THE BYRDS, Bob Dylan and Isaac Hayes in 1983. In 2018 I wasn’t listening to guitar driven music at all. Also, making ‘Selected Studies’ and ‘1D’ gave me more confidence in my abilities with synthesizers. I don’t think I was ready, before then, to try and bring the two things (songs and synths) together.

Would say ‘Violins’ on ‘Guesswork’ have been written traditionally before you applied the primarily electronic production and arrangement?

It was written, initially, on a guitar.

What synths and drum machines were you using for ‘Guesswork’ and ‘On Pain’? Are you into VSTs?

I’m always changing hardware. This is approximate. It’s about 50/50.

Hardware synths and drum machines on ‘Guesswork’ and ‘On Pain’:
Dave Smith OB-6
Moog Sub 37
Modor NF-1
(mostly) Make Noise Modular system
Lorre Mill Double Knot
Soma Lyra 8
Vermona DRM 1 Mk III (drum synth)

Software synths and VSTs:
Spectrasonics Omnisphere (this is the synth that gets used most)
Borderlands (iPad granular processor)
MicroTonic drum synth by Sonic Forge
Izotope Vocal Synth 2
Logic Pro Arpeggiator
SoundToys FX

Did you purchase any new equipment for ‘On Pain’ that allowed greater possibilities sonically? How did you maintain the balance of making sure the songs remained central?

I’m sure I did. I’m always replacing synths with other synths. Since I made ‘Guesswork’, I replaced the Moog Sub 37 with the Moog Matriarch. Keeping the two things balanced is always a challenge, but quite often synth sounds inspire compositions. For example, the synth at the beginning of ‘The Loudness Wars’.

In terms of concept, writing and production, how did ‘On Pain’ differ from ‘Guesswork’?

Not much really. I was just trying to take the concepts to greater extremes. I suppose a major difference would be the vocal treatments. There are no ‘natural’ vocal tracks on ‘On Pain’.

Using voice treatments can be seen as anathema to music purists, but how do you consider its applications?

When I’m working alone in an attic and I’m not great at singing harmony vocals, these synths and treatments opened up a whole new world of musical opportunity for me. It took a LONG time to become comfortable with them, though. This can’t be happening in one vocal and, I think, 8 more virtual harmonies all automated to change the feeling from somewhat naturalistic to almost completely synthesized.

‘The Idiot’ was ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s Top Song Of 2023, while there is the narrative about David Bowie and Iggy Pop relocating to West Berlin in 1976, how did the song come together musically, what were the inspirations?

The music was written, almost completely by Blair Cowan. My job was just to rearrange slightly to make it into a song rather than an instrumental and fine tune the sounds. 80% of those synths are Blair’s original recordings.

Was it a challenge to bring the more electronic material into your live shows on your most recent tour? Have your older fans accepted it?

It was a big challenge and we didn’t try to reproduce any songs exactly as we were just a four piece. But we got pretty close on ‘The Idiot’. We used some drum machines and click tracks for Signy (the drummer/percussionist) to play along with so we could use arpeggiators, but this was quite a challenge. I think next time we will have a drum machine for those songs and Signy can play percussion with it.

‘Guesswork’ and ‘On Pain’ have started a new phase in your career, which songs are your favourites from them?

I don’t really have favourites. I suppose ‘The Over Under’ and ‘Wolves’, because they were the two exploratory pieces which established the possibility of the projects. The songs I wasn’t able to play live that I missed the most were ‘The Loudness Wars’ and ‘More Of What You Are’. Hopefully we can figure a plan to play these in 2025.

Will you continue in this electronic song direction? Is another album in the works? What is next?

I think there is a third. And then I have an idea to go somewhere else for the one after that.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its grateful thanks to Lloyd Cole

Special thanks to Ted Cummings at Cloud PR

‘On Pain’ and ‘Guesswork’ are released by earMUSIC in vinyl LP, CD and digital formats

‘Selected Studies Vol 1’ and ‘1D Electronics 2012-2014’ are still available in vinyl LP, CD and digital formats via Bureau B

‘Plastic Wood’ is still available in digital formats via earMUSIC

Lloyd Cole 2025 full band shows include:

Aberdeen Tivoli Theatre (20 January), Buxton Opera House (22 January), Manchester Bridgewater Hall (24 January), London Barbican (25 January), Dublin Olympia (27 January)

http://www.lloydcole.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Lloyd.Cole.1961

https://twitter.com/Lloyd_Cole

https://www.instagram.com/thelloydcole/

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
30 January 2024, updated 5 May 2024

CAT TEMPER Happy Tails

27 January 2024 /

Behind the alter-ego of CAT TEMPER is the prolific Boston-based synth meowsician Mike Langlie.

With 13 full length albums since 2019 including the DURAN DURAN endorsed ‘Furio’, there is a new CAT TEMPER long player on the way entitled ‘Nineteen Eighty-Fur’. From it as the first single is the fast-paced catchy electronic pop instrumental ‘Happy Tails’ which owes more than a musical debt to early A-HA.

‘Happy Tails’ comes with a delightful video directed and animated by Jim Ether which takes a trip through the music video hiss-tory of classic MTV as Cat Temper scampers into pop promos including ‘Money for Nothing’, ‘Take On Me’, ‘Billie Jean’, ‘When Doves Cry’, ‘I Ran’, ‘Sweet Dreams’, ‘Faith’, ‘Once in a Lifetime’, ‘Lightning Strikes’ and ‘Whip It’.

Incidentally the ‘Sweet Dreams’ section even includes a computer modelled reproduction of the prototype Movement Mk1 Drum Computer used by EURYTHMICS with the iconic Felix The Cat making a cameo on the monitor while the end sees CAT TEMPER a-a-a-a-a-as-as-as Max Headroom! Among the humorous Easter eggs (and fuzzy mice) are a Furlitizer juke box and a Meowg synth based on the Micromoog.

From behind his Meowg, Mike Langlie chatted to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK with some ‘Happy Tails’.

This is a fabulous audio visual presentation paying tribute to the classic era of MTV when MTV actually played music… how much of a collaboration was it with animator Jim Ether regarding the storyboard etc?

Thank you! Jim Ether and I are both 80s kids and we jumped at the idea of doing an homage to classic MTV hits. I put together a video storyboard of clips and stills from the originals as a guide for my alter ego taking a trip through music video hiss-tory.

Each shot is different and presented unique challenges that Jim solved quite creatively. We wildly underestimated the amount of time and effort it would take and Jim went way beyond what I expected. I’m blown away by his attention to detail and ability to give so much purr-sonality to masked animated characters.

How did you choose the videos to pay homage to? Are these songs that have a special place in your heart or was it about choosing the most visually striking?

Both actually. Also ones with cool costumes and environments. It was fun compiling that list and then figuring out how scenes would flow together.

The Klaus Nomi ‘Lightning Strikes’ reference is a comparatively obscure one but welcome, was he an MTV discovery?

Most of the references are quite well-known but we couldn’t make it all too easy! People like Klaus Nomi and other innovative bands like THE RESIDENTS and DEVO focused on visual art as much as music and were already making experimental videos before there was a platform to distribute them. MTV gladly took them in to fill airtime as the channel got off the ground, providing them with a huge audience they may have never found otherwise. Many of my favorite musicians and albums are from that moment in time when the outsiders invaded the mainstream.

The ‘Happy Trails’ track itself is inspired by ‘Take On Me’, what synths / software were you using to construct it and how did it develop?

I started making music in the 1980s and my style hasn’t changed much through the years. Thankfully retro synthpop is back in fashion! I still use gear I’ve had since then and a lot of soft synths recreating classic hardware I sold or could never afford. Roland Juno basses and pads, Yamaha DX7 bells and leads, Jupiter-4 arpeggios, LinnDrum and Simmons drums among others. Also plenty of weird sounds from my first and favorite synth, the Casio CZ-101 which appears on almost all of my songs.

Your album ‘Furio’ with its ‘Rio’ inspired artwork got featured on the DURAN DURAN website, how was that for you and are you hoping for an endorsement from A-HA?

DURAN DURAN’s ‘Rio’ is my all-time favorite album and artwork so I couldn’t resist doing my own take on the sleeve design. I braced myself for backlash from Duran fans, but was thrilled to find it embraced by them as well as the band and their cover designer Malcolm Garrett. I can’t imagine A-HA will ever see the ‘Happy Tails’ video but if they do I hope they consider it a loving tribute!

‘Happy Trails’ is from the new CAT TEMPER album ‘Nineteen Eighty-Fur’, what’s the concept or is that blindingly obvious? Will there be more videos?

‘Nineteen Eighty-Fur’ is the third album in my trilogy of classic album art tributes, after ‘Furio’ and ‘Mystic Kitten’ which is based on Alice Cooper’s ‘Welcome To My Nightmare’. Jennifer Maher Coleman of the band ARCHITRAVE painted a great cover that I can’t wait to reveal in March. You can probably guess what album inspired it from the title. Several songs have musical nods to 80s staples that I hope listeners have fun picking out.

No plans for more videos yet but I hope to do at least one more. Jim Ether is still recovering from the work this one took!

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its feline thanks to Mike Langlie

‘Happy Tails’ is available along with other releases in the CAT TEMPER back catalogue from https://cattemper.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cattemper

https://twitter.com/cattempermeow

https://www.instagram.com/cattempermeow/

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
27 January 2024

A Short Conversation with KALEIDA

16 January 2024 /

Vocalist Christina Wood and keyboardist / producer Cicely Goulder are the brooding electronic duo who go by the name of KALEIDA.

The title song of their first EP ‘Think’ was included in the soundtrack of the 2014 Keanu Reeves action thriller ‘John Wick’ while in 2015, there were dates opening for Róisín Murphy. The pair also notable became for their stark minimal covers of songs such as ‘Take Me To The River’, ‘A Forest’, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘99 Luftballons’ which subsequently appeared in the 2017 Charlize Theron spy drama ‘Atomic Blonde’.

After two EPs and two albums ‘Tear The Roots’ and ‘Odyssey’, KALEIDA are back with their third album ‘In Arms’; the record captures 3 years of perseverance that has seen the duo nurture a long distance creative partnership across an ocean that has withstood the pressures of parenting and the shifting patterns of life.

With the release of a new single ‘Stranger’ which showcases a new direction for KALEIDA in its use of 808 beats alongside their usual haunting demeanor and a prayer-like chorus, Christina Wood and Cicely Goulder took turns to answer questions from ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about the making of ‘In Arms’ and their future course.

After the 2021 album ‘Odyssey’ which was released into the Covid world, KALEIDA experienced something of an existential crisis, what happened and how did you get through it?

Christina: It just felt hard to keep going at that point. We’d put out an album during Covid and we hadn’t toured it, and we were asking ourselves whether our music was any good, whether we had enough of a following to justify the continued uphill battle. This project is truly a labor of love. But in the end making music means more to us, and so we got back to it. We’ll never stop.

While KALEIDA could not ever be accused of being overly cheerful, ‘In Arms’ does feel like fresh air has come out of the storm?

Christina: It feels more confident and more mature… it’s hard for us to say though, we don’t have much perspective on it, or space from it…

Did you do anything different for the making of ‘In Arms’ that was different to your previous albums to keep the remote collaboration process as fresh and united as possible?

Christina: We worked with Johan Hugo on a few tracks, and that was a great way to get us together in another location (Margate), bring some fresh ideas in and be really productive in short bursts. We also worked with some incredible live musicians, including two drummers, which really added a lot of energy.

How does your creative dynamic work in your virtual studio world?

Christina: We often email fragments of ideas back and forth – and then work on them, send them back, and so on, and they gradually take shape. But to get the core structure down on something we write together, we often need to be in the same room. Then after that a lot of the production and vocals we can do separately, and Cicely will tie it all together.

‘Hollow’ has this immediacy that perhaps hasn’t been heard from you since ‘Think’? Any thoughts?

Christina: It started as a simple piano idea… and we intended to keep it simple and initially make what we were calling a nostalgic sounding ‘house’ track out of it. It went through many metamorphoses production-wise but it must have retained some of that immediacy.

Going back to your days as a fledgling act, you’ve found a place for ‘Seagull’ which was the first song you made together? What made ‘In Arms’ the right place for it on after 10 years?

Christina: We were relistening to it during the period we were writing material for this album and just thought it had some kind of dark power to it. We must be more confident now so we decided it should make the cut.

How have the themes and aesthetics of your songs changed over the years in your minds?

Christina: It feels like one long story… they are all connected, maybe just getting clearer, bigger, more colorful. We’re always writing about whatever we’re going through, thinking about, reading about, feeling. The events change as we get older but the humanity is the same. The production evolves and hopefully the songwriting as well, but the themes all seem to be related.

You’ve said that Joan of Arc has been a pivotal figure in the making of ‘In Arms’?

Christina: It must have been towards the end of the process that we connected with some images of Joan of Arc, before we had a name for the album. She was a woman driven by a higher purpose, and she bravely kept on with her mission when many would have questioned the value in doing so. I guess sticking with music just feels that way a lot for us.

You have used an interesting array of bass textures on ‘In Arms’, how were these constructed and implemented into the overall sound?

Cicely: We worked with an incredible Jazz bassist called Tom Mason who brought a lot of the lines to life. Often I will demo stuff out on MIDI but there is nothing like a talented player to elevate and modulate the basic tune. I love a good bass line, particularly as it implies so much without having to rely on chords.

How involved do you get into constructing your own sound design as opposed to the modern way which appears to rely on sample packs? What are your preferred instruments?

Cicely: I don’t think there is anything wrong with sample packs as sometimes the best ideas come quickly so it’s great not to kill the vibe by tinkering around trying to find the ‘perfect’ sound. Having said that, I do end up re-doing a lot of the sounds, particularly basslines, on an analog synth or with a live player. In the studio we have a Moog Voyager, Juno 60, D50 and a few other synths but we might record others if we’re working in hired studios.

The new single ‘Stranger’ springs a surprise with its New York electro drum machine rhythms, how did this come to about?

Cicely: I think I was working on the middle 8 of a completely different track and made that organ chord loop – it sounded so nostalgic that I threw some 808s together and it just seemed to match well. I wanted to make the song go on some completely different tangent in that section but when I played it to Christina she thought we should make it into a new track. She went away that night and demo’d some vocals and the next day it was basically done!

Was ‘Hansaplast’ inspired by Berlin as it has this Cold War tension about it? Does that resonate with all that is going on in the world for you?

Christina: It was just a pretty personal track to be honest, not inspired by Berlin. But yes, we find it hard not to be deeply affected by the horrors happening in Ukraine and the Middle East.

What is ‘Endless Youth’ about?

Christina: That nostalgia we all feel for our youth, summer loves, that time when you felt more connected to your body compared to when you have young kids and other focuses and responsibilities!!

The folky side of KALEIDA is still very present but is more prominent on ‘Kilda’ despite its hip-hop beats while ‘Don´t Turn Me Out’ has this acoustic feel with deeper harmonies, is this aesthetic something you were more eager to push on this album?

Christina: We didn’t think about that… we just made the music that was in us. The folky roots will always be there – must be my Kentucky heritage or past Celtic lives…

Which are your favourite songs on the new album?

Christina: My favorites are ‘Generation’, because I love the groove, ‘Kilda’ also because I love the drums… combined with the bagpipes, and ‘Don’t Turn Me Out’ for its simplicity.

You are touring ‘In Arms’ in March 2024, how are preparations going and is there a new found zest for performing again after everything that’s happened?

Christina: Yes! And new-found nerves! We are working with a drummer this time, which adds a lot of energy and we are very excited to perform with her. It’s going to be amazing to do shows again.

What does the future hold for KALEIDA?

Christina: Releasing the album, shows, connecting with fans as much as possible, and then we’ll see! We’re trying not to put too much expectation on the release, and just take it as it goes. But we do hope that people connect with it.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to KALEIDA

Special thanks to Alix Wenmouth at Wasted Youth Music

The singles ‘Stranger’, ‘Seagull Nun’ and ‘Hollow’ are all available through Embassy One on the usual online platforms

‘In Arms’ is released on 22 March 2024 in blue vinyl LP, black vinyl LP, CD and digital formats via https://lnk.to/KaleidaInArms

KALEIDA 2024 live dates include:

London Oslo (22 March), Prague Cross Club (23 March), Brno Kabinet Múz (24 March), Cologne Artheater (27 March), Berlin LARK (28 March), Hamburg Hääkken (29 March), Warsaw Chmury (30 March)

https://www.kaleidamusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KALEIDAMUSIC/

https://twitter.com/kaleidamusik

https://www.instagram.com/kaleidamusic/

https://kaleida.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6zyPKJ4ePhYLsBEy4A6BVX

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Benjamin Hampson
16 January 2024

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