Credits: the first 5 pictures by Pamela Graham.
31 December 2014
Pictures from Marnie's gig at Stereo, Glasgow, UK (2014)
The first gig of Helen Marnie as solo artist.
Credits: the first 5 pictures by Pamela Graham.
Credits: the first 5 pictures by Pamela Graham.
25 December 2014
"We Are the Sea" live snippet
Unfortunately it seems there are not videos, pictures or audio from Helen's gig at Stereo, Glasgow excepts this short clip...
15 December 2014
Marnie's "Wolves" featured on TEC's 30 Songs of 2014 list
Certainly, the positive response she received for her debut long player Crystal World and a return to her homeland has no doubt inspired her own independence. But with Marnie due to release a second solo album in 2015, what does this all mean for Ladytron?
Source
09 December 2014
Helen announced a gig in Glasgow, Scotland
Helen will perform live for the first time as a solo artist on 20 December 2014 at TYCI's Christmas All-Dayer! event at Stereo, Glasgow, Scotland.
08 December 2014
09 November 2014
Ladytron - Lowlands Festival, 2003
Format: MP3, 320 kbps CBR
Source: FM radio broadcast
Note: I made the cover. You can find the FLAC version on dcrvault.
Track listing:
01. True Mathematics
02. Playgirl
03. Cracked LCD
04. Blue Jeans
05. He Took Her to a Movie
06. Cease2xist
07. Evil
08. USA vs. White Noise
09. Seventeen
10. Oops Oh My
Download
07 November 2014
Helen announced a gig in Lima, Peru
Helen Marnie announced a gig at Discoteca 1530, Lima, Peru on 29 January 2015. She will perform songs from her solo career and from Ladytron's back catalogue.
PS: Initially it was announced for 30 January and later it was moved to 29 January.
PS: Initially it was announced for 30 January and later it was moved to 29 January.
03 October 2014
Podcart interview (2014)
Life Is Like a Box of Records: Helen Marnie
Helen Marnie selected 10 of her favourite songs.
Madonna - La Isla Bonita
There are so many songs that take me back to childhood, some good, some bad (think "Star Trekking" by The Firm), but Madonna back then could do no wrong. Before I got my first yellow Walkman which would constantly play the Like a Prayer album, my dad used to take me to the local video shop in Milngavie where I'd buy my 7″ records. It was a ritual that I loved. "La Isla Bonita" cost about 50p of my pocket money, but it was more than worth it.
Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana
I couldn't compile a top 10 without including Michael Jackson. I was completely in love with him for quite some time. I was a fan club member and used to write him letters and draw pictures for him. Obviously, I was not the coolest of kids, but it made me pretty happy. In 1992 my Dad got tickets for me and a friend to see his Dangerous Tour at Glasgow Green, my first proper gig. It was a breathtaking experience and I feel pretty lucky having seen him. I remember I was sitting outside The Pierhouse at Port Appin when I heard the news of his death.
Justin Hayward - Forever Autumn
I don't come from a particularly musical family, but some influences did creep through. My dad had The War of the Worlds on vinyl and the standout track "Forever Autumn" featured heavily in our house, sometimes even being played whilst I warmed my tights up on the radiator getting ready for primary school. I always loved this song, in particular the narrated part by Richard Burton. In 2006 I was more than happy when we (Ladytron) used it as our entrance music on tour. Loved the vibe it created.
Tori Amos - The Waitress
When was a young 17 when I first attempted to go to University. Being a bit of a dreamer, I was never really sure what it was I should commit to. Glasgow Uni gave me a place, but my choices were all wrong and after about 6 months I knew I had to make the decision to leave. It was so hard, but my family were behind me and I quit. While I was there I was staying in a private flat on Woodlands Drive. Nothing was right about it. I wanted to just have fun, but that was near impossible when the owner was knocking at my door at 11pm asking me to be quiet – I was just getting ready to go out. My friend had made me a tape of Tori Amos' Under the Pink. Having studied the piano for many years I was really drawn to her music. She was weird and wonderful and angsty, and I think of this song when I look back to that time.
The Bluetones - Slight Return
1995 brought my first indie boy band crush. The Bluetones, in particular lead singer Mark Morriss, they were my idea of perfection. I think I loved them all the more because I found them myself, no one directed me to them. I saw them shuffling in duffle coats on Top of the Pops and I was hooked. In the Spring of 1996 I took myself from Aberfoyle to Paris on a bus just to see them support Radiohead at La Cigale in Paris. It should be noted that I appreciated Radiohead too, but The Bluetones were most definitely the main attraction for me.
Lamb - Gorecki
It was in Liverpool that I became more interested in more varied types of music. I bought "Gorecki" on CD from Penny Lane Records and played it over and over in my room in Derby & Rathbone halls of residence. A year older, I was much happier with my choices, having taken time out. Never one to plan too much though, I was offered a last minute place at Liverpool University one day and being driven there a few days later. It didn't worry me that I was leaving home. It didn't worry me that there were no rooms left in halls so had to be put in a guest room initially. I just went with it. Sometimes things just happen for a reason. I firmly believe that.
Air - Sexy Boy
I had a partner in crime whilst I was at Liverpool University. Cat. She was my everything, and we were rarely seen without each other. I think people thought we were crazy. All baby doll dresses, flares, and bright purple and blue glitter eyeshadow pasted to our lids. But we were having the best time. Our work suffered, of course, but I wouldn't change a thing. We were young and silly, shy, naive, but ultimately out for fun, and we found it in droves in Liverpool. We would pull some dramatic moves to "Sexy Boy", both in private and in public. Air were our new electro love.
Joni Mitchell - River
My 2nd year at University makes me think of Joni Mitchell. Blue as an album is pretty much close to perfection. I love the "Jingle Bells" intro of "River", which immediately makes you think of cold nights and the coming of winter. I was sharing a house with 2 friends, one of them Cat. We managed to pick up an old piano super cheap for the house and "River" was one of our faves to play. Me on vocals, Cat on keys and harmonies, washed down with some Lambrini.
Death in Vegas - Dirge
I'm calling this my make out song. Not much explanation required. You get the picture.
Frederic Chopin - Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9
My Grandma (who I was very close to) died in Spring last year. She had been struggling for many years, but somehow I never thought she would leave us. From around the age of 8 I started to learn piano and in later years I used to have to practice for 1-2 hours every day. "Nocturne" was a piece I always enjoyed playing, and my Grandma (one of my biggest fans) would always listen and champion me, shouting from the other room for more! When she died I was in charge of making sure the funeral directors were given the correct music. I wrote everything down and handed it over. At the funeral I remember waiting with anticipation for "Nocturne", but they played the wrong song. I was absolutely gutted. Was it my fault? I'll never know.
Source
Helen Marnie selected 10 of her favourite songs.Madonna - La Isla Bonita
There are so many songs that take me back to childhood, some good, some bad (think "Star Trekking" by The Firm), but Madonna back then could do no wrong. Before I got my first yellow Walkman which would constantly play the Like a Prayer album, my dad used to take me to the local video shop in Milngavie where I'd buy my 7″ records. It was a ritual that I loved. "La Isla Bonita" cost about 50p of my pocket money, but it was more than worth it.
Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana
I couldn't compile a top 10 without including Michael Jackson. I was completely in love with him for quite some time. I was a fan club member and used to write him letters and draw pictures for him. Obviously, I was not the coolest of kids, but it made me pretty happy. In 1992 my Dad got tickets for me and a friend to see his Dangerous Tour at Glasgow Green, my first proper gig. It was a breathtaking experience and I feel pretty lucky having seen him. I remember I was sitting outside The Pierhouse at Port Appin when I heard the news of his death.
Justin Hayward - Forever AutumnI don't come from a particularly musical family, but some influences did creep through. My dad had The War of the Worlds on vinyl and the standout track "Forever Autumn" featured heavily in our house, sometimes even being played whilst I warmed my tights up on the radiator getting ready for primary school. I always loved this song, in particular the narrated part by Richard Burton. In 2006 I was more than happy when we (Ladytron) used it as our entrance music on tour. Loved the vibe it created.
Tori Amos - The Waitress
When was a young 17 when I first attempted to go to University. Being a bit of a dreamer, I was never really sure what it was I should commit to. Glasgow Uni gave me a place, but my choices were all wrong and after about 6 months I knew I had to make the decision to leave. It was so hard, but my family were behind me and I quit. While I was there I was staying in a private flat on Woodlands Drive. Nothing was right about it. I wanted to just have fun, but that was near impossible when the owner was knocking at my door at 11pm asking me to be quiet – I was just getting ready to go out. My friend had made me a tape of Tori Amos' Under the Pink. Having studied the piano for many years I was really drawn to her music. She was weird and wonderful and angsty, and I think of this song when I look back to that time.
The Bluetones - Slight Return1995 brought my first indie boy band crush. The Bluetones, in particular lead singer Mark Morriss, they were my idea of perfection. I think I loved them all the more because I found them myself, no one directed me to them. I saw them shuffling in duffle coats on Top of the Pops and I was hooked. In the Spring of 1996 I took myself from Aberfoyle to Paris on a bus just to see them support Radiohead at La Cigale in Paris. It should be noted that I appreciated Radiohead too, but The Bluetones were most definitely the main attraction for me.
Lamb - Gorecki
It was in Liverpool that I became more interested in more varied types of music. I bought "Gorecki" on CD from Penny Lane Records and played it over and over in my room in Derby & Rathbone halls of residence. A year older, I was much happier with my choices, having taken time out. Never one to plan too much though, I was offered a last minute place at Liverpool University one day and being driven there a few days later. It didn't worry me that I was leaving home. It didn't worry me that there were no rooms left in halls so had to be put in a guest room initially. I just went with it. Sometimes things just happen for a reason. I firmly believe that.
Air - Sexy BoyI had a partner in crime whilst I was at Liverpool University. Cat. She was my everything, and we were rarely seen without each other. I think people thought we were crazy. All baby doll dresses, flares, and bright purple and blue glitter eyeshadow pasted to our lids. But we were having the best time. Our work suffered, of course, but I wouldn't change a thing. We were young and silly, shy, naive, but ultimately out for fun, and we found it in droves in Liverpool. We would pull some dramatic moves to "Sexy Boy", both in private and in public. Air were our new electro love.
Joni Mitchell - River
My 2nd year at University makes me think of Joni Mitchell. Blue as an album is pretty much close to perfection. I love the "Jingle Bells" intro of "River", which immediately makes you think of cold nights and the coming of winter. I was sharing a house with 2 friends, one of them Cat. We managed to pick up an old piano super cheap for the house and "River" was one of our faves to play. Me on vocals, Cat on keys and harmonies, washed down with some Lambrini.
Death in Vegas - Dirge
I'm calling this my make out song. Not much explanation required. You get the picture.
Frederic Chopin - Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9My Grandma (who I was very close to) died in Spring last year. She had been struggling for many years, but somehow I never thought she would leave us. From around the age of 8 I started to learn piano and in later years I used to have to practice for 1-2 hours every day. "Nocturne" was a piece I always enjoyed playing, and my Grandma (one of my biggest fans) would always listen and champion me, shouting from the other room for more! When she died I was in charge of making sure the funeral directors were given the correct music. I wrote everything down and handed it over. At the funeral I remember waiting with anticipation for "Nocturne", but they played the wrong song. I was absolutely gutted. Was it my fault? I'll never know.
Source
27 September 2014
The Electricity Club interview (2014)
Following the release of her acclaimed debut solo album Crystal World in 2013, Marnie has unveiled a brand new single "Wolves", a taster for her new album due for 2015. Released to coincide with the Scottish Independence Referendum, it has been described as "a soaring anthem for anyone that doesn't believe in sticking with the status quo".
Meanwhile, the lead singer of Ladytron has been seeking her own path of independence since relocating back to her hometown of Glasgow. Featuring marvellous synthpop songs such as "The Hunter", "Sugarland", "Hearts on Fire" and "High Road", while a solo effort, Crystal World did not venture too far away from the Ladytron camp as it was co-produced by band mate Daniel Hunt. However, "Wolves" is the fruit of her first collaboration with Jonny Scott of The Kills and Olympic Swimmers fame.
Marnie kindly spoke to The Electricity Club about her new venture and her thoughts on the result of the Scottish Independence Referendum…
The Electricity Club wasn't expecting news of a second solo album so soon, so how has this come about?
I guess I'm just not finished yet! I really enjoyed writing for myself and have been writing on and off for the past 8 months, and will continue to do so. I like the freedom that it gives me. I'm hoping by early next year I should have a complete album. That is my plan anyway.
You're not working with Daniel Hunt on this new album?
No. I was happy to work with Danny on my first solo record, but it's always been important to me to work with different people. Having moved to Glasgow, I really wanted to be more involved with the scene there. I was introduced to producer and drummer Jonny Scott through Iain from Chvrches and we just kind of clicked. He's been busy with The Kills for a while, but we still managed to work on a couple of tracks, one of them being 'Wolves'. Looking forward to doing more later in the year.
"Wolves" has been inspired by the Scottish Independence Referendum campaign?
Yes, I wrote the song in January, before everything began to fizz and boil over. The sentiment of the song is basically that change is needed. Whichever side of the fence you sit on, I'm sure everyone can agree on that. People power can do a lot, and people are tired of a Westminster that is looking out for itself.
What are your thoughts about the referendum result and your hopes / fears for the future of Scotland?
I am desperately disappointed with the result, having been firmly in the yes camp. It's such a foreign feeling. One you can't quite pinpoint, but is ultimately loss. However, I've had a few days now to re-evaluate things and think on the positive. I still think good will come from the referendum, and that change will come. If it doesn't, then all hell could break loose from both yes and no voters. I do hope that Scotland gets another chance, but in the meantime I just plan to get on with things. One thing though, Scotland is politically mobile now, like it's never been before. There has been so much passion here with regards to the debate, coming from both sides. People actually care… which is a great feat.
How did you feel about the warm reception for your first solo album Crystal World?
I'm really happy with the way Crystal World was received. People really got behind my Pledge campaign and I was lucky to have the support of Ladytron fans. Without them I doubt I would've made my target.
What of the songs on Crystal World have you been most proud of and why?
I'm pretty much proud of them all as I never really believed I was capable!! But I guess if I had to pick one or two I would choose "Submariner" and "Gold". "Submariner" reminds me of a sad time, but also makes me smile. I envisage the sea and the coastline of the North East of Scotland and golden light over fields when I listen to it. "Gold" was the last song to be written and I flew back to Iceland in December 2012 specifically to record it. Although the song is associated with reminiscing, it has a sense of closure for me.
Is there anything that you wished you'd approached slightly differently on Crystal World?
There are always things that could've been done differently, but there is no point dwelling on something you cannot change. I feel lucky to have got the album out. There were times when I thought that might not happen.
After the Pledge campaign, Crystal World secured a wider release on the prestigious Les Disques Du Crépuscule label. How will you be going about issuing your second long player?
I'm still at the writing stage at the moment, so to discuss something else so far down the line makes no sense to me. I just want to concentrate on getting all the songs together, being happy with them, and then I can take it from there.
People are going to ask, what's the state of play with Ladytron at the moment?
Ladytron are fine. Everyone's still doing their own thing, but we are also all writing.
With two albums of solo material, live dates must be closer to being a possibility?
I'm hoping to start rehearsing with a band later this year. Fingers crossed that all goes to plan. Which will mean I am open to bookings. Any takers?
Source
Marnie kindly spoke to The Electricity Club about her new venture and her thoughts on the result of the Scottish Independence Referendum…
The Electricity Club wasn't expecting news of a second solo album so soon, so how has this come about?
I guess I'm just not finished yet! I really enjoyed writing for myself and have been writing on and off for the past 8 months, and will continue to do so. I like the freedom that it gives me. I'm hoping by early next year I should have a complete album. That is my plan anyway.
No. I was happy to work with Danny on my first solo record, but it's always been important to me to work with different people. Having moved to Glasgow, I really wanted to be more involved with the scene there. I was introduced to producer and drummer Jonny Scott through Iain from Chvrches and we just kind of clicked. He's been busy with The Kills for a while, but we still managed to work on a couple of tracks, one of them being 'Wolves'. Looking forward to doing more later in the year.
"Wolves" has been inspired by the Scottish Independence Referendum campaign?
Yes, I wrote the song in January, before everything began to fizz and boil over. The sentiment of the song is basically that change is needed. Whichever side of the fence you sit on, I'm sure everyone can agree on that. People power can do a lot, and people are tired of a Westminster that is looking out for itself.
What are your thoughts about the referendum result and your hopes / fears for the future of Scotland?
I am desperately disappointed with the result, having been firmly in the yes camp. It's such a foreign feeling. One you can't quite pinpoint, but is ultimately loss. However, I've had a few days now to re-evaluate things and think on the positive. I still think good will come from the referendum, and that change will come. If it doesn't, then all hell could break loose from both yes and no voters. I do hope that Scotland gets another chance, but in the meantime I just plan to get on with things. One thing though, Scotland is politically mobile now, like it's never been before. There has been so much passion here with regards to the debate, coming from both sides. People actually care… which is a great feat.
I'm really happy with the way Crystal World was received. People really got behind my Pledge campaign and I was lucky to have the support of Ladytron fans. Without them I doubt I would've made my target.
What of the songs on Crystal World have you been most proud of and why?
I'm pretty much proud of them all as I never really believed I was capable!! But I guess if I had to pick one or two I would choose "Submariner" and "Gold". "Submariner" reminds me of a sad time, but also makes me smile. I envisage the sea and the coastline of the North East of Scotland and golden light over fields when I listen to it. "Gold" was the last song to be written and I flew back to Iceland in December 2012 specifically to record it. Although the song is associated with reminiscing, it has a sense of closure for me.
Is there anything that you wished you'd approached slightly differently on Crystal World?
There are always things that could've been done differently, but there is no point dwelling on something you cannot change. I feel lucky to have got the album out. There were times when I thought that might not happen.
After the Pledge campaign, Crystal World secured a wider release on the prestigious Les Disques Du Crépuscule label. How will you be going about issuing your second long player?
I'm still at the writing stage at the moment, so to discuss something else so far down the line makes no sense to me. I just want to concentrate on getting all the songs together, being happy with them, and then I can take it from there.
Ladytron are fine. Everyone's still doing their own thing, but we are also all writing.
With two albums of solo material, live dates must be closer to being a possibility?
I'm hoping to start rehearsing with a band later this year. Fingers crossed that all goes to plan. Which will mean I am open to bookings. Any takers?
Source
26 September 2014
Chief Mag interview (2007)
Ladytron is an electro-super-synth-pop band that hails from, among other cities, Liverpool. We spoke with Mira Aroyo, a founding member and songwriter, about the newest album, Witching Hour, and sing-songing in Bulgarian.
Chief Magazine: What were you listening to when you were a kid?
Mira Aroyo of Ladytron: Well, in my teens? A lot of Nick Cave and Bob Dylan and Neil Young and Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. These were things that were past on from my parents, so it was kind of a nice first point of reference. And I was into Nirvana, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, things like that... My Bloody Valentine.
Then I got into sort krauty music and that's kind of how I got into electronic music. I used to go to a lot of krautrock. That's how I got into dance music, sort of, even though it's not dance music at all. I kind of missed out on the rave thing the first time around. I was listening to Sonic Youth, and then I ran into it after it actually finished, sort of in the mid-nineties. But a lot of sixties stuff, Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, all sorts of Phil Spector stuff, Serge Gainsbourg, a lot of country.
I was actually looking at your MySpace page. I think MySpace is becoming a new kind of forum for bands to promote but also to actually see their fan's faces, to develop a more intimate connection.
Yeah, definitely. The four of us do it. There's no record label or anyone or anything like that. We spend a lot of our time reading messages and answering messages and stuff like that. People realize that something is not being organized properly or not working and will write a letter saying, oh, I don't know, "There's a problem with the pictures here or there". And you say "Oh, I'm sorry", and then you fix it. There's a hands-on effect.
Do you guys trade off work on the MySpace page?
We all do it as we feel. Sometimes, you know, we just all do it as we feel but we all, it takes quite a bit of time.
Where are you based?
Helen [Marnie] and I live in London. Reuben [Wu] and Dan [Hunt], when we see them, are in Liverpool, though Dan lives in Milan. We recorded Witching Hour in and we have a studio down there. So, I guess in between London and Liverpool, really.
You sing a lot of your songs in Bulgarian. How did that develop?
It started one night when we were recording a long time before "Evil" was out. We were doing a song called "Commodore Rock" and we were just drunk, you know. We'd been out and we got back and it was just like, "Oh, so should we try it", because the rhythm is a lot more staccato. It's got a different diction and different rhythm than English. So it started off as a drunken idea and I just started mashing up loads of lyrics from Bulgarian songs, the national anthem and stuff like that. But it kind of worked and we did another few things on 604 in Bulgarian because of the rhythm of it and I just kept on doing that when the song came up with a similar rhythm. I wouldn't be able to do rhythmically what I do in Bulgarian in English. It's just so very different. It's not patriotic thing or something like that.
So, when you're writing the lyrics are you collaging Bulgarian lyrics from other songs?
Yeah, yeah. Well, "Commodore Rock" was pasted together from all sorts of sort national kinds of songs but the rest of the songs, they're all my own lyrics. Like "Discotraxx" from the first record and the other stuff are usually the same type of lyrics in English but in Bulgarian.
Does the band plan to meet in London and Liverpool to rehearse and write?
Yeah. We rehearse before tours and then we all write separately at home and then we get together, like in pairs or as a band, and then we end up in a proper commercial studio record stuff. We're quite concentrated when we work.
Are the lyrics written before you head in to the studio?
The songs are pretty much written before we go into the studio. The songs are written in our home studio, sometimes away from any kind of equipment, but some may be semi-developed, and then you work on it from there. They'll be 80 percent developed and then you build it up. It's different from song to song.
Do you guys show up to the studios with most of the ideas for the weirder effects developed?
Yeah. I mean, we do come up with a lot of the stuff that's on the way to getting produced, just done in home studios. We have an idea, but on the other hand, some songs take up a little bit of time but other songs completely develop in ways we wouldn't have imagined before going into the studio. Like in the case of Witching Hour, with Jim Abbiss. Jim Abbiss really helped us realize a lot of stuff that we wanted to do but we weren't articulating.
Was there a concept in mind when you put together Witching Hour? Do you think about that or does it sort of happen organically?
We'd been touring Light & Magic and 604 for the two years prior to Witching Hour, that I think the sound really built up because we were playing live so much. I mean, before Light & Magic, we hadn't really been a touring band. We played a few gigs but we were never really happy with the live shows. When Light & Magic came out we went on the road properly and we turned into a proper, viable sort of touring band and we learned quite a lot of dynamics. We were working with a drummer we found it a lot more organic because everything was being played live. Songs from Light & Magic and 604 were developing and taking on a new energy, so a lot of that went into Witching Hour.
We realized what we wanted to achieve, and we were kind of happiest with this sound.
Are you guys writing now?
We wrote a whole lot of stuff during the summer and then we started touring again and we've been on a big U.S. and Canada and Mexico tour in the autumn. Now we've come back from South America and a couple of more dates in the U.S. I think we're going to stop the touring a little bit, have a few shows here and there, maybe more so in Europe, but concentrate on the next record. We're hoping to finish it by the end of April. We've got about 20, 25 songs or so written but it doesn't really, you know, sound as an album. It hasn't taken shape yet. So, we've gotta work on that the next couple of months.
Do you get out to see music at all or are you too burnt out from touring?
Oh, I go to shows all the time. I love going to gigs, maybe a little bit less though than I did, maybe, five years ago because we're away a lot and then when I come home... sometimes I like being at home. But I do go and try to see a lot of bands and I go record shopping a lot. We DJ as well, so we kind of have to stay on top of it, really.
What recent show have you seen that you had fun at?
I'm really looking forward to seeing this English band called Circulus and they're playing together with another English band called Crimson. They're kind of prog rock. When [Crimson] plays a live show, they've got, a brass section and the whole show is kind of, like, contagious and a lot of it is very disco.
I've seen you get charged up by a good audience before. What gets you going at a live show?
When someone is jumping or throws something in the front. It's always great to see people dancing all the way to the back. The last time we played New York this boy came up on stage. He got kicked off, but first he said "I lost my virginity to 'Seventeen!'". We were touring with CSS in the United States this autumn and they had a lot of energy. We'd watch their show and they were just so much fun to watch. By the end of their show we'd be playing and they'd go into the crowd wrapped with toilet paper, kind of dressed as mummies and body surfing and stuff like that. Sometimes people don't realize how much we get out of a crowd.
What about any movies? Have you see the new James Bond film yet?
No, I haven't gotten a chance yet. I haven't seen Borat. I think I want to see Borat, too.
Borat is good.
I've haven't had the chance to go to the cinema. I've just seem films on airplanes and they've all been really bad.
Source
Mira Aroyo of Ladytron: Well, in my teens? A lot of Nick Cave and Bob Dylan and Neil Young and Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. These were things that were past on from my parents, so it was kind of a nice first point of reference. And I was into Nirvana, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, things like that... My Bloody Valentine.
Then I got into sort krauty music and that's kind of how I got into electronic music. I used to go to a lot of krautrock. That's how I got into dance music, sort of, even though it's not dance music at all. I kind of missed out on the rave thing the first time around. I was listening to Sonic Youth, and then I ran into it after it actually finished, sort of in the mid-nineties. But a lot of sixties stuff, Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, all sorts of Phil Spector stuff, Serge Gainsbourg, a lot of country.
I was actually looking at your MySpace page. I think MySpace is becoming a new kind of forum for bands to promote but also to actually see their fan's faces, to develop a more intimate connection.
Yeah, definitely. The four of us do it. There's no record label or anyone or anything like that. We spend a lot of our time reading messages and answering messages and stuff like that. People realize that something is not being organized properly or not working and will write a letter saying, oh, I don't know, "There's a problem with the pictures here or there". And you say "Oh, I'm sorry", and then you fix it. There's a hands-on effect.
Do you guys trade off work on the MySpace page?
We all do it as we feel. Sometimes, you know, we just all do it as we feel but we all, it takes quite a bit of time.
Where are you based?
Helen [Marnie] and I live in London. Reuben [Wu] and Dan [Hunt], when we see them, are in Liverpool, though Dan lives in Milan. We recorded Witching Hour in and we have a studio down there. So, I guess in between London and Liverpool, really.
You sing a lot of your songs in Bulgarian. How did that develop?
So, when you're writing the lyrics are you collaging Bulgarian lyrics from other songs?
Yeah, yeah. Well, "Commodore Rock" was pasted together from all sorts of sort national kinds of songs but the rest of the songs, they're all my own lyrics. Like "Discotraxx" from the first record and the other stuff are usually the same type of lyrics in English but in Bulgarian.
Does the band plan to meet in London and Liverpool to rehearse and write?
Yeah. We rehearse before tours and then we all write separately at home and then we get together, like in pairs or as a band, and then we end up in a proper commercial studio record stuff. We're quite concentrated when we work.
Are the lyrics written before you head in to the studio?
The songs are pretty much written before we go into the studio. The songs are written in our home studio, sometimes away from any kind of equipment, but some may be semi-developed, and then you work on it from there. They'll be 80 percent developed and then you build it up. It's different from song to song.
Do you guys show up to the studios with most of the ideas for the weirder effects developed?
Yeah. I mean, we do come up with a lot of the stuff that's on the way to getting produced, just done in home studios. We have an idea, but on the other hand, some songs take up a little bit of time but other songs completely develop in ways we wouldn't have imagined before going into the studio. Like in the case of Witching Hour, with Jim Abbiss. Jim Abbiss really helped us realize a lot of stuff that we wanted to do but we weren't articulating.
We'd been touring Light & Magic and 604 for the two years prior to Witching Hour, that I think the sound really built up because we were playing live so much. I mean, before Light & Magic, we hadn't really been a touring band. We played a few gigs but we were never really happy with the live shows. When Light & Magic came out we went on the road properly and we turned into a proper, viable sort of touring band and we learned quite a lot of dynamics. We were working with a drummer we found it a lot more organic because everything was being played live. Songs from Light & Magic and 604 were developing and taking on a new energy, so a lot of that went into Witching Hour.
We realized what we wanted to achieve, and we were kind of happiest with this sound.
Are you guys writing now?
We wrote a whole lot of stuff during the summer and then we started touring again and we've been on a big U.S. and Canada and Mexico tour in the autumn. Now we've come back from South America and a couple of more dates in the U.S. I think we're going to stop the touring a little bit, have a few shows here and there, maybe more so in Europe, but concentrate on the next record. We're hoping to finish it by the end of April. We've got about 20, 25 songs or so written but it doesn't really, you know, sound as an album. It hasn't taken shape yet. So, we've gotta work on that the next couple of months.
Do you get out to see music at all or are you too burnt out from touring?
Oh, I go to shows all the time. I love going to gigs, maybe a little bit less though than I did, maybe, five years ago because we're away a lot and then when I come home... sometimes I like being at home. But I do go and try to see a lot of bands and I go record shopping a lot. We DJ as well, so we kind of have to stay on top of it, really.
What recent show have you seen that you had fun at?
I'm really looking forward to seeing this English band called Circulus and they're playing together with another English band called Crimson. They're kind of prog rock. When [Crimson] plays a live show, they've got, a brass section and the whole show is kind of, like, contagious and a lot of it is very disco.
When someone is jumping or throws something in the front. It's always great to see people dancing all the way to the back. The last time we played New York this boy came up on stage. He got kicked off, but first he said "I lost my virginity to 'Seventeen!'". We were touring with CSS in the United States this autumn and they had a lot of energy. We'd watch their show and they were just so much fun to watch. By the end of their show we'd be playing and they'd go into the crowd wrapped with toilet paper, kind of dressed as mummies and body surfing and stuff like that. Sometimes people don't realize how much we get out of a crowd.
What about any movies? Have you see the new James Bond film yet?
No, I haven't gotten a chance yet. I haven't seen Borat. I think I want to see Borat, too.
Borat is good.
I've haven't had the chance to go to the cinema. I've just seem films on airplanes and they've all been really bad.
Source
17 September 2014
Marnie - "Wolves" videoclip
The videoclip for "Wolves" by Marnie was premiered today. Video directed by Helen Marnie and Michael Sherrington.
10 September 2014
Marnie - "Wolves" lyrics
Hope or pray, but how long
before their cruel minds answer you?
Ha ha ha ha
Hope until we make the rules,
Hold on, how long?
Ha ha ha ha
Blow by blow, oh how long
before you grace us with your song?
Ha ha ha ha
So come with me,
Come with me,
Come with me,
Come with me,
Come with me,
Come with me,
There's a place where you can go, you're angry!
Raise all your voices
Gimme all your hands, take the chances
Don't be fooled, wolves in disguises,
All your hands! All your hands!
Hail for better days!
Raise all your voices
Gimme all your hands, take the chances
Don't be fooled, wolves in disguises,
All your hands! All your hands!
Hail for better days!
Fear or change, oh come on,
And grab your fight and follow though
Ha ha ha ha
Distance will set us apart
Come on, dream on
Ha ha ha ha
Blow by blow, oh how long
before we make it on our own?
Ha ha ha ha
Raise all your voices
Gimme all your hands, take the chances
Don't be fooled, wolves in disguises,
All your hands! All your hands!
Hail for better days!
Raise all your voices
Gimme all your hands, take the chances
Don't be fooled, wolves in disguises,
All your hands! All your hands!
Hail for better days!
09 September 2014
"Wolves", a new single from Marnie
Helen Marnie premiered a new song, "Wolves", a first glimpse of her new album, due in 2015. The song was produced by Jonny Scott and the artwork is by Bone. The song will be released on iTunes on 14 September 2014. You can pre-order it now.
She said about this tune: "Scotland is on a high right now, and the excitement and unknown really creeped into the essence of the song and the lyrics. I wanted to capture that feeling of 'what if', and the thought of people uniting to create change, and the potential that has".
She said about this tune: "Scotland is on a high right now, and the excitement and unknown really creeped into the essence of the song and the lyrics. I wanted to capture that feeling of 'what if', and the thought of people uniting to create change, and the potential that has".
07 September 2014
Under the Radar interview (2014)
Read on as Marnie discusses her favorite Scottish albums, bands, and films, as well as her thoughts on the Scottish Independence Referendum, in which in a few weeks the people of Scotland get to vote on whether or not to secede from the United Kingdom and have Scotland become its own country.
What are your thoughts on the Scottish Independence referendum? Are you for or against independence? Could you explain why?
I have been a Yes supporter from the start. I don't necessarily see it as nationalism, that's not what this is about. It's about having control over your country's affairs and not being tied to a system that frankly does not work for Scotland, and hasn't worked for a long, long time. I have faith that we are a talented enough lot to be able to go it alone.
How do you think Scottish Independence might affect the arts and the Scottish music scene?
I hope that independence brings more investment for the arts, rather than cuts which are happening at present. I want us to be international in our outlook, and being a part of Europe will benefit Scotland. At the moment, it looks like the U.K. is trying to make an exit. Scotland, and Glasgow in particular, has always had a thriving music scene, so I don't see that changing. People are determined enough to go it alone and start creating music. If anything, independence will only inspire musicians more. I haven't met one artist/musician who is a no voter.
What is your favorite album by another Scottish artist and why?
There are lots of amazing Scottish artists, but at the moment I'm really enjoying Honeyblood's new album. I saw them in Glasgow last year and they were raw and fun, and I just knew they were going to take off. I love that it's just the two of them and they manage to create such a full sound.
Which Scottish musician/band most inspired you to start playing music?
I don't think any particular band got me into making or playing music. I started playing classical piano at quite a young age and worked hard at it for a long time. At university though, like a lot of people, I got into Belle and Sebastian.
Who is your favorite new Scottish band or solo artist?
A few months ago I went to see another female duo called Bdy_Prts. They had great melodies and beats. They're working on their debut album at present. The gig was great. Good on stage banter.
What is your favorite film that takes place in Scotland?
I saw Under the Skin this year and I absolutely LOVED IT! It was beautifully shot, and really captured the grittiness of Glasgow. The score was pretty amazing too.
What do you most love about Scotland and being Scottish and what do you most hate about Scotland and being Scottish?
I am very proud to be Scottish. I love Scotland to bits. Even though we are part of the U.K. at present, when I was living in Liverpool and then in London I always felt like a foreigner—like people thought I was some kind of novelty. I guess it's because we are such a small nation. I don't hate anything about Scotland or its people, but what I have found since living here again is that people often think they're not quite good enough. Which is not the case. I guess that sometimes happens when you have been ruled from afar, by an elite that don't really care about Scotland or its people.
Source
I have been a Yes supporter from the start. I don't necessarily see it as nationalism, that's not what this is about. It's about having control over your country's affairs and not being tied to a system that frankly does not work for Scotland, and hasn't worked for a long, long time. I have faith that we are a talented enough lot to be able to go it alone.
How do you think Scottish Independence might affect the arts and the Scottish music scene?
I hope that independence brings more investment for the arts, rather than cuts which are happening at present. I want us to be international in our outlook, and being a part of Europe will benefit Scotland. At the moment, it looks like the U.K. is trying to make an exit. Scotland, and Glasgow in particular, has always had a thriving music scene, so I don't see that changing. People are determined enough to go it alone and start creating music. If anything, independence will only inspire musicians more. I haven't met one artist/musician who is a no voter.
What is your favorite album by another Scottish artist and why?
There are lots of amazing Scottish artists, but at the moment I'm really enjoying Honeyblood's new album. I saw them in Glasgow last year and they were raw and fun, and I just knew they were going to take off. I love that it's just the two of them and they manage to create such a full sound.
Which Scottish musician/band most inspired you to start playing music?
I don't think any particular band got me into making or playing music. I started playing classical piano at quite a young age and worked hard at it for a long time. At university though, like a lot of people, I got into Belle and Sebastian.
Who is your favorite new Scottish band or solo artist?
What is your favorite film that takes place in Scotland?
I saw Under the Skin this year and I absolutely LOVED IT! It was beautifully shot, and really captured the grittiness of Glasgow. The score was pretty amazing too.
What do you most love about Scotland and being Scottish and what do you most hate about Scotland and being Scottish?
I am very proud to be Scottish. I love Scotland to bits. Even though we are part of the U.K. at present, when I was living in Liverpool and then in London I always felt like a foreigner—like people thought I was some kind of novelty. I guess it's because we are such a small nation. I don't hate anything about Scotland or its people, but what I have found since living here again is that people often think they're not quite good enough. Which is not the case. I guess that sometimes happens when you have been ruled from afar, by an elite that don't really care about Scotland or its people.
Source
28 August 2014
22 August 2014
Referendum TV interview (with Helen)
Helen Marnie appeared on Referendum TV to discuss about Scotland's referendum (from 55:02 to 1:02:31). She also talked about Ladytron and her solo album. At the end, Helen announced that she will release a new single soon!
15 August 2014
The Projects live at The Macbeth, London (2014)
3 videos with The Projects' live performance at The Macbeth, London on 5 August 2014. Mira Aroyo sang and played her Korg MS-20.
12 August 2014
The Black Key interview (2014)
One of the most beautiful things about bands is that their music represents a culmination of ideas from a set of independently talented individuals. When a band like the electro-pop/new-wave Ladytron bursts onto the scene, you know each and every character has something to say, and that the message is pretty damn impressive.
Reuben Wu's message is clear: blending inspirations from all media can never go wrong. Not only is he one of the band's keyboardists, songwriters and producers, but he uses his various other talents as foundations for potentially awe-inspiring, sensory experiences. In anticipation of his upcoming DJ set at the Death's Door Part at The Garret, we discussed his numerous passions, lessons learned, and even his first cruise trip...
Will this be your first time in Miami?
No, I've been there probably tens of times, I'm sure. I can't remember how many time [laughs] but we've always had great gigs and great shows over there. Last time I was there was in March and I was DJ-ing on a cruise ship. It was one of those festival ships.
Was that for WMC?
It was Paramore and the cruise ship was called like the "PARAHOY!" cruise which was fun because I hadn't ever been on a cruise before and we went to the Bahamas and I had a room with a balcony and stuff and, yeah, it was nice.
You guys have been around for quite a while, over a decade actually, how have you observed the industry changing since you first starting up over in England?
Well, we started out just as the internet was being used and I remember when we first were talking to labels and stuff and we were talking about using Friendster and Myspace as social media and, you know, "we should put the band onto Friendster and Myspace, it would be great" and people were saying: "oh, isn't that a bit silly?" [laughs] and: "that's a bit weird, isn't that just for dating?" and so we did that in the end, but there was this kind of resistance from these labels which were being quite closed minded and obviously didn't see what was going to happen.
So, it was kind of strange to see how everything has kind of gone completely in that direction and the way the internet affects... when we first started releasing records, we didn't have like huge major label deals so it was really difficult for our records to be bought or listened to in countries like Mexico and Colombia and Russia and so people started finding us on the internet and just downloading stuff for free. And that's how we started building up this fanbase so when we eventually were able to do it, we were able to actually fly to those places and do a show to a really huge crowd for the first time ever and that was all down to having music which was downloadable so that's a great positive point coming from that kind of thing.
Obviously it was the very early days but, you know, we were definitely on that cusp of the way things started to get marketed on the internet and I think from bands which appeared later on didn't benefit so much from that because by that time, the industry had already changed and there was already a full saturation point of music on the internet.
Does social media and platforms like Soundcloud help or deter you getting your DJ tracks out in any way?
Personally I don't use Soundcloud that much, I don't use it as a place to put music, I use it as a place to announce... so it's just a place for me to put things. So I would generally use other methods to do that. I think, also in the same ways as Facebook, we haven't really released that much stuff recently so I haven't really been thinking about best places to release stuff.
Yeah, it's been a while, Gravity the Seducer came out in 2011. Is there anything we can expect coming up?
Um, we're still having a break. But we're thinking of doing a new album hopefully at the end of this year and to have something ready for next year.
Awesome! How's the recording or creative process with you guys? Is there a specific format you follow when creating new music?
Yeah, we tend to work independently at first and we will just write our own songs and make our own productions and we do that until we're satisfied and then that's the point where we'll get into a room together or we start sending each other tracks and working on each others' music. Once that is done, we start getting into the studio and actually working together in the real world [laughs].
Is there ever a time where there's a track that has a little more Reuben or Daniel than others?
Yes. Always. All the tracks have ownership. But, once they're worked on, you know, we've all kind of put work into all of them. So, by the time they're actually finished and in the album they're kind of... we all have a joint-ownership.
Looking back, what would say was the key to your guys' success?
Um, we were touring a lot, I suppose. That really really helps, going out and playing shows, meeting people, and also making sure that we play places that aren't always on the beaten track. For instance, when we played the U.S., we also played the smaller towns as well.
So you like to cover as much as you can, basically.
We try to cover everything rather than just doing hotspots. And that goes for all over the world as well and I think people appreciate that. I also think that we've had time to grow into our own shoes. A lot of time in this day and age, a lot of the bands are sort of forced to grow as soon as they have a single out and they have a new album and it can be very disruptive for a new band, for the media to hype them up and to not give them the chance to breathe and not be in that limelight.
It took us about three albums to properly grow into something that we felt confident with. You know, the first album was really just a collection of songs and it was very very DIY and the second one was kind of our first real album because the songs were written in the same amount of time and the third album was the most collaborative of all of them. And I think it's still one of the best albums that we've done.
Knowing what you know now, after all the things you've learned and been through, is there anything that you would do differently? Or any advice you'd give the younger versions of yourselves?
Um, I probably would've told myself to not just work on music and to do other things. Because, before I was in music I was doing design and I was doing a lot of drawing and it kind of bled into the band quite a bit in terms of artwork and design and packaging and stuff. But, I then started dabbling in photography which was kind of just a hobby but I think I would've liked to get into it a bit more a lot earlier on. Just to kind of keep the balance between music and something else up rather than just do music.
I was actually going to ask about your design background because I know that when you guys first started you were actually still studying design and how it can be seen as an influence in your work but I guess you kind of answered that one.
[Laughs].
How is your photography going? It seems like you have more time to delve into it now.
Yeah, I do now. Since we've been taking a bit of a break, I've been able to think about doing my own stuff. And not just photography, I've started making my own films and that's kind of gone around full circle where I've started needing music for my own films so, it's starting to become this self-contained, independent thing... which is quite nice, actually.
What kind of musical scores are you into, is this more of a score thing or just compiling a soundtrack?
Um, I'm generally making music first and then tracking visuals too. I think a lot of people do it the other way around but I feel like the music is so important that a lot of visuals just seem like a compromise, the visuals are just there to accompany them. But they have exactly the same energy and should echo off each other. So yeah, I've just been experimenting. And I've started doing music videos and stuff like that so it's kind of a new journey for me.
So, actually, where are you now?
I'm in Chicago!
Well, now that you're coming to Miami for a DJ set, I know you like to work primarily with CDs when you play, is there any particular reason for that?
Um, the reason is because I haven't started using a USB [laughs]. After vinyl I started using CDs and I haven't moved on since then and, yeah, that's just the way I play. I play my music like as if they were vinyl. So I go from deck to deck and I just like the way that is. I don't like the idea of turning up and the USB sticks don't work or just losing your USB sticks. I'd rather lose all of my CDs and then burn a brand new set with my computer.
When you're creating your sets, do you prepare something in advance? Or do you like to feel the crowd and the venue out?
Yeah, I play out how I feel. I always feed off the audience, so I don't really like to plan what I'm going to be playing but I have a list of stuff that I really enjoy playing.
Like what in particular?
Ummmmm... hmmm... I quite like Daniel Avery. His stuff is amazing. And I like the fact that his energy is so high and yet really minimal as well. I like Moullinex, I love his remixes. What else? Um, Front de Cadeaux who are a French producers. Sorry, I don't really like listing people I like playing...
You don't have to! [Laughs] I meant, what sounds or genres do you like working off of?
Ohh, okay, alright [laughs]. Nu-disco, deep house, it's all electronic. It's all upbeat. I generally don't play any EDM or anything like that. No dubstep [laughs].
Well, that's my jam so I'm excited to hear you play!
Yeah! I'm excited too. It's always nice to play to a Miami crowd.
Now, this can go for both Ladytron and your solo DJ work, but you guys have quite a few remixes of your tracks and I know as a DJ you work on remixing other people's tracks as well. Are there any artists out there you'd like to collaborate with? Either with Ladytron or just yourself?
I'm not sure. Um, I think I'd like to collaborate with someone not in music and maybe collaborate with someone from the film industry or something like that. Or collaborate with someone that just makes art. You know, rather than two musicians collaborating with each other, I'd rather go out of the whole genre itself and see what happens with someone completely out of that.
That would definitely become a sensory experience, you should come back for Art Basel and host a show.
Yeah, I'd love to!
Source
Will this be your first time in Miami?
No, I've been there probably tens of times, I'm sure. I can't remember how many time [laughs] but we've always had great gigs and great shows over there. Last time I was there was in March and I was DJ-ing on a cruise ship. It was one of those festival ships.
Was that for WMC?
It was Paramore and the cruise ship was called like the "PARAHOY!" cruise which was fun because I hadn't ever been on a cruise before and we went to the Bahamas and I had a room with a balcony and stuff and, yeah, it was nice.
You guys have been around for quite a while, over a decade actually, how have you observed the industry changing since you first starting up over in England?
Well, we started out just as the internet was being used and I remember when we first were talking to labels and stuff and we were talking about using Friendster and Myspace as social media and, you know, "we should put the band onto Friendster and Myspace, it would be great" and people were saying: "oh, isn't that a bit silly?" [laughs] and: "that's a bit weird, isn't that just for dating?" and so we did that in the end, but there was this kind of resistance from these labels which were being quite closed minded and obviously didn't see what was going to happen.
So, it was kind of strange to see how everything has kind of gone completely in that direction and the way the internet affects... when we first started releasing records, we didn't have like huge major label deals so it was really difficult for our records to be bought or listened to in countries like Mexico and Colombia and Russia and so people started finding us on the internet and just downloading stuff for free. And that's how we started building up this fanbase so when we eventually were able to do it, we were able to actually fly to those places and do a show to a really huge crowd for the first time ever and that was all down to having music which was downloadable so that's a great positive point coming from that kind of thing.
Does social media and platforms like Soundcloud help or deter you getting your DJ tracks out in any way?
Personally I don't use Soundcloud that much, I don't use it as a place to put music, I use it as a place to announce... so it's just a place for me to put things. So I would generally use other methods to do that. I think, also in the same ways as Facebook, we haven't really released that much stuff recently so I haven't really been thinking about best places to release stuff.
Yeah, it's been a while, Gravity the Seducer came out in 2011. Is there anything we can expect coming up?
Um, we're still having a break. But we're thinking of doing a new album hopefully at the end of this year and to have something ready for next year.
Awesome! How's the recording or creative process with you guys? Is there a specific format you follow when creating new music?
Yeah, we tend to work independently at first and we will just write our own songs and make our own productions and we do that until we're satisfied and then that's the point where we'll get into a room together or we start sending each other tracks and working on each others' music. Once that is done, we start getting into the studio and actually working together in the real world [laughs].
Is there ever a time where there's a track that has a little more Reuben or Daniel than others?
Yes. Always. All the tracks have ownership. But, once they're worked on, you know, we've all kind of put work into all of them. So, by the time they're actually finished and in the album they're kind of... we all have a joint-ownership.
Looking back, what would say was the key to your guys' success?
Um, we were touring a lot, I suppose. That really really helps, going out and playing shows, meeting people, and also making sure that we play places that aren't always on the beaten track. For instance, when we played the U.S., we also played the smaller towns as well.
So you like to cover as much as you can, basically.
We try to cover everything rather than just doing hotspots. And that goes for all over the world as well and I think people appreciate that. I also think that we've had time to grow into our own shoes. A lot of time in this day and age, a lot of the bands are sort of forced to grow as soon as they have a single out and they have a new album and it can be very disruptive for a new band, for the media to hype them up and to not give them the chance to breathe and not be in that limelight.
It took us about three albums to properly grow into something that we felt confident with. You know, the first album was really just a collection of songs and it was very very DIY and the second one was kind of our first real album because the songs were written in the same amount of time and the third album was the most collaborative of all of them. And I think it's still one of the best albums that we've done.
Knowing what you know now, after all the things you've learned and been through, is there anything that you would do differently? Or any advice you'd give the younger versions of yourselves?
Um, I probably would've told myself to not just work on music and to do other things. Because, before I was in music I was doing design and I was doing a lot of drawing and it kind of bled into the band quite a bit in terms of artwork and design and packaging and stuff. But, I then started dabbling in photography which was kind of just a hobby but I think I would've liked to get into it a bit more a lot earlier on. Just to kind of keep the balance between music and something else up rather than just do music.
I was actually going to ask about your design background because I know that when you guys first started you were actually still studying design and how it can be seen as an influence in your work but I guess you kind of answered that one.
[Laughs].
How is your photography going? It seems like you have more time to delve into it now.
What kind of musical scores are you into, is this more of a score thing or just compiling a soundtrack?
Um, I'm generally making music first and then tracking visuals too. I think a lot of people do it the other way around but I feel like the music is so important that a lot of visuals just seem like a compromise, the visuals are just there to accompany them. But they have exactly the same energy and should echo off each other. So yeah, I've just been experimenting. And I've started doing music videos and stuff like that so it's kind of a new journey for me.
So, actually, where are you now?
I'm in Chicago!
Well, now that you're coming to Miami for a DJ set, I know you like to work primarily with CDs when you play, is there any particular reason for that?
Um, the reason is because I haven't started using a USB [laughs]. After vinyl I started using CDs and I haven't moved on since then and, yeah, that's just the way I play. I play my music like as if they were vinyl. So I go from deck to deck and I just like the way that is. I don't like the idea of turning up and the USB sticks don't work or just losing your USB sticks. I'd rather lose all of my CDs and then burn a brand new set with my computer.
When you're creating your sets, do you prepare something in advance? Or do you like to feel the crowd and the venue out?
Yeah, I play out how I feel. I always feed off the audience, so I don't really like to plan what I'm going to be playing but I have a list of stuff that I really enjoy playing.
Like what in particular?
Ummmmm... hmmm... I quite like Daniel Avery. His stuff is amazing. And I like the fact that his energy is so high and yet really minimal as well. I like Moullinex, I love his remixes. What else? Um, Front de Cadeaux who are a French producers. Sorry, I don't really like listing people I like playing...
Ohh, okay, alright [laughs]. Nu-disco, deep house, it's all electronic. It's all upbeat. I generally don't play any EDM or anything like that. No dubstep [laughs].
Well, that's my jam so I'm excited to hear you play!
Yeah! I'm excited too. It's always nice to play to a Miami crowd.
Now, this can go for both Ladytron and your solo DJ work, but you guys have quite a few remixes of your tracks and I know as a DJ you work on remixing other people's tracks as well. Are there any artists out there you'd like to collaborate with? Either with Ladytron or just yourself?
I'm not sure. Um, I think I'd like to collaborate with someone not in music and maybe collaborate with someone from the film industry or something like that. Or collaborate with someone that just makes art. You know, rather than two musicians collaborating with each other, I'd rather go out of the whole genre itself and see what happens with someone completely out of that.
That would definitely become a sensory experience, you should come back for Art Basel and host a show.
Yeah, I'd love to!
Source
30 July 2014
New The Projects album
The Projects released their fourth and final album, Elektrichka's Favourite Party Record. Mira Aroyo duets on most of the songs.
You can listen the album on Soundcloud (below) or on Spotify. Also you can buy it from iTunes (digital) or from Tip Top Records (vinyl).
Press info:
The Projects, the brainchild of the late Graeme Wilson, released their final record on Tip Top Recordings on 19 May 2014. Elektrichka's Favourite Party Record, the fourth album by The Projects, has been completed three years after his sudden death at the age of thirty seven in December 2011.
Wilson who suffered from MS had begun recording the album, which he felt would be his most accomplished to date, with a vast array of talented and long term musician friends such as Mira Aroyo (Ladytron), Dino Gollnick (Lightspeed Champion, The Beatings), Koichi Yamanoha (Grimm Grimm, Screaming Tea Party), Ricky Maymi (Brian Jonestown Massacre), Mon Chan (Bo Ningen), Alex Lawton Mawdsley (Comet Sands), and Matt Simpson (The European).
"His death may have cut The Projects tragically short, but this album is the one that brings Wilson's cosmic, collaborative vision vividly to life". (eMusic)
"Haunting, otherworldly pop that sounds like a cosmic missive from Krauter space". (Wondering Sound)
"A catchy blend of krautrock and persistent synths". (Artrocker)
Sadly Graeme never saw the album completed, but everyone involved thought it would be a fitting tribute that it was finished and a few months after his funeral they went about the task of putting the recordings together. Mira Aroyo, who duets on most of the songs, explains the process:
"Koichi picked up Graeme's computer and Paul, Koichi, Mon Chan, Alex and I started to make sense of it all. It was really sad and weird but somehow made us feel like he was totally there and so it was kind of fun too. We found what we thought were the latest versions of songs. We were certain we wanted to meddle with things as little as possible. Some of the tracks had names written in Russian. We had to decide which bits needed fixing and redoing. It was very hard so we went for 'would Graeme like this'. We went in (to the studio) over four long days and finished the vocals, re-recorded some of the drums and mixed. We used the three songs he had already mixed as reference. Luckily he had already sent me all the lyrics that needed recording. He was actually very organized in his chaos. The studio overlooks Kensal Green Cemetery and the rain was pouring on a funeral procession when we arrived. It was even spookier at night, with LED candle lights flickering here and there in the dark sea of graves. The hardest part for me was mixing, as that gave me more time to think about what was actually happening. It was heart wrenching. I realised that this would be the last time I would hear Graeme's voice without music behind it".
The results are remarkable and Elektrichka's Favourite Party Record is a truly inspiring piece of work. Thirteen tracks, mastered by Paul Jones (Stolen Recordings), the album includes the download single "Set a Course For the Stars" and captures the perfectly formed type of skewed pop that Wilson and The Projects had been crafting over the years.
Too many highlights to mention, but tracks such as "I Have to Use Words", "Emma Nutt", "I'm Learning Chinese", "A&E/ITU", "Anne Is a Socialist" and "I'm In LLLLLove" are the sort of catchy, krautrock and electronic tunes that The Projects and their contemporaries such as Stereolab, Quickspace, Broadcast and more recently The Horrors excel.
A true musical maverick, Wilson, a former member of John Peel favourites Miss Mend and the Television Personalities, formed The Projects in 2001 with Alex Lawton Mawdsley and released the debut album Let's Get Static in 2004 which was followed three years later with Voice Is Glue and then Words of Love Broadcast in Code in 2009. He began working on Elektrichka's Favourite Party Record soon after.
"It's all finished except for vocals on a couple of songs. O wow, it's such a shame that I can't play it to you! I'm sure you'd love it!”. (Graeme Wilson, 2011)
Source
You can listen the album on Soundcloud (below) or on Spotify. Also you can buy it from iTunes (digital) or from Tip Top Records (vinyl).
Press info:
The Projects, the brainchild of the late Graeme Wilson, released their final record on Tip Top Recordings on 19 May 2014. Elektrichka's Favourite Party Record, the fourth album by The Projects, has been completed three years after his sudden death at the age of thirty seven in December 2011.
Wilson who suffered from MS had begun recording the album, which he felt would be his most accomplished to date, with a vast array of talented and long term musician friends such as Mira Aroyo (Ladytron), Dino Gollnick (Lightspeed Champion, The Beatings), Koichi Yamanoha (Grimm Grimm, Screaming Tea Party), Ricky Maymi (Brian Jonestown Massacre), Mon Chan (Bo Ningen), Alex Lawton Mawdsley (Comet Sands), and Matt Simpson (The European).
"His death may have cut The Projects tragically short, but this album is the one that brings Wilson's cosmic, collaborative vision vividly to life". (eMusic)
"Haunting, otherworldly pop that sounds like a cosmic missive from Krauter space". (Wondering Sound)
"A catchy blend of krautrock and persistent synths". (Artrocker)
Sadly Graeme never saw the album completed, but everyone involved thought it would be a fitting tribute that it was finished and a few months after his funeral they went about the task of putting the recordings together. Mira Aroyo, who duets on most of the songs, explains the process:
"Koichi picked up Graeme's computer and Paul, Koichi, Mon Chan, Alex and I started to make sense of it all. It was really sad and weird but somehow made us feel like he was totally there and so it was kind of fun too. We found what we thought were the latest versions of songs. We were certain we wanted to meddle with things as little as possible. Some of the tracks had names written in Russian. We had to decide which bits needed fixing and redoing. It was very hard so we went for 'would Graeme like this'. We went in (to the studio) over four long days and finished the vocals, re-recorded some of the drums and mixed. We used the three songs he had already mixed as reference. Luckily he had already sent me all the lyrics that needed recording. He was actually very organized in his chaos. The studio overlooks Kensal Green Cemetery and the rain was pouring on a funeral procession when we arrived. It was even spookier at night, with LED candle lights flickering here and there in the dark sea of graves. The hardest part for me was mixing, as that gave me more time to think about what was actually happening. It was heart wrenching. I realised that this would be the last time I would hear Graeme's voice without music behind it".
The results are remarkable and Elektrichka's Favourite Party Record is a truly inspiring piece of work. Thirteen tracks, mastered by Paul Jones (Stolen Recordings), the album includes the download single "Set a Course For the Stars" and captures the perfectly formed type of skewed pop that Wilson and The Projects had been crafting over the years.
Too many highlights to mention, but tracks such as "I Have to Use Words", "Emma Nutt", "I'm Learning Chinese", "A&E/ITU", "Anne Is a Socialist" and "I'm In LLLLLove" are the sort of catchy, krautrock and electronic tunes that The Projects and their contemporaries such as Stereolab, Quickspace, Broadcast and more recently The Horrors excel.
A true musical maverick, Wilson, a former member of John Peel favourites Miss Mend and the Television Personalities, formed The Projects in 2001 with Alex Lawton Mawdsley and released the debut album Let's Get Static in 2004 which was followed three years later with Voice Is Glue and then Words of Love Broadcast in Code in 2009. He began working on Elektrichka's Favourite Party Record soon after.
"It's all finished except for vocals on a couple of songs. O wow, it's such a shame that I can't play it to you! I'm sure you'd love it!”. (Graeme Wilson, 2011)
Source
24 July 2014
23 July 2014
13 July 2014
11 July 2014
Tutorials about how to play some Ladytron songs
The user ReAgent601 did some tutorials about how to play some Ladytron songs.
604
Light & Magic
Witching Hour
Velocifero
604
Light & Magic
Witching Hour
Velocifero
01 July 2014
Mira and Helen featured on TEC's The Beauty of the Synthesizer list
Both Mira Aroyo and Helen Marnie featured on The Electricity Club's "The Beauty of the Synthesizer" list (the most beautiful women in synthpop).
That list includes names like Au Revoir Simone, Sarah Blackwood (Dubstar, Client), Anastasia Dimou (Feathers), Alison Goldfrapp (Goldfrapp), Claire Boucher (Grimes), Patricia Hall (Soft Metals), Imogen Heap, Victoria Hesketh (Little Boots), Marianthi Melitsi and Sophie Sophie Sarigiannidou (Marsheaux), Lauren Mayberry (Chvrches), Anais Neon (Vile Electrodes), Sarah Nixey (Black Box Recorder), Polly Scattergood, Emilie Simon, and others.
Also Marianthi and Sophie from Marsheaux were compared with Mira and Helen: "Marianthi Melitsi is the Helen Marnie of the pair with her sweet vocals and porcelain looks. Meanwhile, Sophie Sarigiannidou is more akin to Mira Aroyo with a more smouldering demeanour which is deadpan in comparison".
While Ladytron are very much a quartet musically, imagewise it has been the band's female pair who have been the focal point.
When Mira Aroyo first appeared on the scene, her icy East European demeanour suited the band's dark terrorist chic meets the catwalk. With look akin to the notorious Baader-Meinhof gang, she was Mira armed with a Korg MS-20 as her weapon of choice.
As well as DJing, she has branched out into other projects, the most notable being when she made her stark deadpan presence felt on the appropriately dystopian "Watching a Building on Fire" with John Foxx & The Maths in 2011.
If Mira Aroyo is the Anni-Frid Lyngstad of Ladytron, then Helen Marnie is Agnetha Fältskog.
The sweeter, more pop inclined of the pair, Helen certainly appeared at home with a more glamorous image when Ladytron relaxed their uniformed stance after their third album Witching Hour.
It was probably Helen who persuaded Mira Aroyo to sport swimwear on their 2003 DJ mix compilation Softcore Jukebox.
She is obviously comfortable with that look as she has continued with the swimwear and gone for some glossy imagery in support of her pristine first solo album Crystal World.
Other superb pictures with Mira & Helen:
That list includes names like Au Revoir Simone, Sarah Blackwood (Dubstar, Client), Anastasia Dimou (Feathers), Alison Goldfrapp (Goldfrapp), Claire Boucher (Grimes), Patricia Hall (Soft Metals), Imogen Heap, Victoria Hesketh (Little Boots), Marianthi Melitsi and Sophie Sophie Sarigiannidou (Marsheaux), Lauren Mayberry (Chvrches), Anais Neon (Vile Electrodes), Sarah Nixey (Black Box Recorder), Polly Scattergood, Emilie Simon, and others.
Also Marianthi and Sophie from Marsheaux were compared with Mira and Helen: "Marianthi Melitsi is the Helen Marnie of the pair with her sweet vocals and porcelain looks. Meanwhile, Sophie Sarigiannidou is more akin to Mira Aroyo with a more smouldering demeanour which is deadpan in comparison".
Mira Aroyo
When Mira Aroyo first appeared on the scene, her icy East European demeanour suited the band's dark terrorist chic meets the catwalk. With look akin to the notorious Baader-Meinhof gang, she was Mira armed with a Korg MS-20 as her weapon of choice.
As well as DJing, she has branched out into other projects, the most notable being when she made her stark deadpan presence felt on the appropriately dystopian "Watching a Building on Fire" with John Foxx & The Maths in 2011.
Helen Marnie
The sweeter, more pop inclined of the pair, Helen certainly appeared at home with a more glamorous image when Ladytron relaxed their uniformed stance after their third album Witching Hour.
It was probably Helen who persuaded Mira Aroyo to sport swimwear on their 2003 DJ mix compilation Softcore Jukebox.
She is obviously comfortable with that look as she has continued with the swimwear and gone for some glossy imagery in support of her pristine first solo album Crystal World.
Other superb pictures with Mira & Helen:
30 June 2014
"Destroy Everything You Touch" videoclip snapshots
On the design site Behance, Adam Bartley (credited with Art Direction and Directing) uploaded a nice collection of snapshots from the gorgeous "Destroy Everything You Touch" videoclip. Click on pictures for a higher resolution:
Bonus: two storyboards of "Destroy Everything You Touch" videoclip:
Bonus: two storyboards of "Destroy Everything You Touch" videoclip:
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