“I don’t like country & western, I don’t like rock music… I don’t like rockabilly! I don’t like much really do I? But what I do like, I love passionately!!”: CHRIS LOWE
The double bill of THOMPSON TWINS’ Tom Bailey + BLANCMANGE reached London’s IndigO2 as both acts treated fans to their greatest hits and new material.
Visitors to SetlistFM would have noticed that a setlist is always a work in progress. For Tom Bailey, it was an opportunity to delve into the deeper cuts of the THOMPSON TWINS back catalogue as well as material from his 2018 debut solo long player ‘Science Fiction’. While the UK tour had begun in Exmouth featuring a much longer show featuring ‘Roll Over’, ‘Kamikaze’ and a cover of THE BEATLES’ ‘Revolution’ with ‘Storm On The Sea’ added in Aylesbury, by the time the tour had reached Manchester, things had been honed to a tight 16 song playlist.
Having opened for Tom Bailey on selected dates during 2024’s ‘Into The Gap’ tour, BLANCMANGE were back on duty as special guests. While Finlay Shakespeare began operating his synth battery to kick off with ‘Game Above My Head’, Neil Arthur immediately beckoned the audience to get on their feet and in a good sign for the evening, just about everyone did. ‘Reduced Voltage’ showed that despite having a portfolio of hits, Arthur was very much about the present as he told an anecdote about finally getting to the capital’s Sky Bar but then only drinking water!
‘Feel Me’, ‘Waves’ and ‘Blind Vision’ returned to the familiarity but there then came a surprise of sorts with a cover of ABBA’s ‘The Day Before You Came’ for the first time on this tour; while the 1984 BLANCMANGE version was actually a bigger UK hit than the original, tonight it came in a superbly dark electronic arrangement with Shakespeare’s stark pulses complimenting Arthur’s melodramatic storytelling.
A further surprise came with a lively cover of DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ inspired by Arthur’s recent synth reinterpretations project DOUBLESPEAK with Benge and original DM member Vince Clarke; was it a taster for future live shows by the trio? Who knows? Closing with BLANCMANGE’s two biggest hits ‘Living on the Ceiling’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me’, everyone was warmed up and with a very quick 20 minute stage turnaround, there was no rest for the wicked!
It was now time for Tom Bailey to play you all his favourite records and proceedings began appropriately with ‘In The Name Of Love’. With a young female backing band comprising of Charlotte Raven (keyboards, cello + vocals), Paulina Szczepaniak (drums + vocals) and Meelie Traill (bass, keyboards + vocals), their musical and visual interplay complimented Tom Bailey’s elder statesman role as he moved between keyboards, guitar and percussion. His wireless head mic allowed freedom of movement and while the quartet’s choreography was not a ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ group dance, their changes of position and roles ensured maximum engagement with the audience in a manner that THE HUMAN LEAGUE could learn from.
The ‘Science Fiction’ title song and ‘Shooting Star’ reminded everyone of Bailey’s return as a solo artist but it was the ‘Greatest Hits’ as billed on the poster and album favourites that that people wanted. A rousing ‘You Take Me Up’ turned into an episode of ‘The Prisoner’ as Bailey grappled a giant red balloon while the whole band moved to the front for superb stripped down renditions of ‘We Are Detective’ and ‘The Gap’ with Raven moving to cello and Szczepaniak to a futurist bongo while both also took turns duetting with Bailey.
‘Sister of Mercy’, ‘Lay Your Hands on Me’ and ‘If You Were Here’ kept the momentum going but ‘Lies’ provided an exotic funky bounce to savour. It was Bailey’s turn to do a cover and it was an authentic take on TALKING HEADS’ ‘Psycho Killer’, a song that he had chosen for inclusion on the Andy Peebles Radio1 show ‘My Top Twelve’ back in the day.
Now crowned ‘King For A Day’, the main part of the show closed with an extended ‘Doctor! Doctor!’; but the crowd were not going to go home without hearing ‘Love on Your Side’ and ‘Hold Me Now’ which Bailey duly delivered with the latter turning into an anthemic singalong that drew smiles from all and sundry.
This evening was more than just nostalgic escapism, it was a masterclass in synth-inspired songwriting that has meant that the melodies and rhythmic dash of both THOMPSON TWINS and BLANCMANGE continue to endure after more than 40 years.
Neither Tom Bailey and Neil Arthur have sat on their laurels; their willingness to experiment with recent material and affectionately chosen cover versions mingled with memorable hit singles provide some fabulous all-round entertainment.
Special thanks to Sacha Taylor-Cox at Hush PR
THOMPSON TWINS’ TOM BAILEY + BLANCMANGE 2026 UK Tour continues: Brighton Chalk (20th September), Guildford G Live (21st September), Cambridge Junction (23rd September), Buxton Opera House (24th September), Nottingham Rock City (25th September), York Barbican (26th September) – tickets on sale at https://www.alttickets.com/thompson-twins-tom-bailey-tickets
Since forming in 2014, Jae Matthews and Augustus Muller have cultivated one of electronic music’s most devoted cult followings as BOY HARSHER.
Starting with the minimal synth of their debut EP ‘Lesser Man’, the duo steadily expanded darkwave’s parameters via the ‘Yr Body Is Nothing’ album and 2019’s masterful ‘Careful’.
By the time 2022’s film soundtrack project ‘The Runner’ arrived, their trademark blend of hypnotic synths, EBM-inflected rhythms and Matthews’ magnetic vocals had successfully crossed over from shadowy underground dens to global festival stages. Yet, following years of relentless touring, BOY HARSHER faced the ultimate threat to their existence, the romantic disintegration of Matthews and Muller themselves.
Photo by Nathaniel Jerome
Written during the aftermath of their break-up as Matthews took to the open road across North America, their latest offering ‘Get Mean’ emerges as a surprisingly cathartic redemption record. It is an electronic meditation on heartbreak, dislocation and eventual dancefloor survival. Across 12 tracks, Muller and Matthews expand their palette well beyond standard coldwave tropes, integrating detuned pads, mobile voice notes and even post-punk guitar textures into their sinister machinery.
The NEW ORDER inspired brightness of lead single ‘Jeans’ offers a loose, surprisingly upbeat moment for the pair. Taking aim at Americana tropes and gig-economy alienation, its synthpop sheen acts as a Trojan horse for Matthews’ wry reflections on youthful ambition in an attack on the fashion industry.
Elsewhere, ‘Tough Luck (When You Don’t Call)’ pushes into heart-on-sleeve territory. Driven by shimmering disco beats and chorus-heavy guitars that echo THE CURE between days, it sets an intentionally jarring backdrop for Matthews’ heartbroken drawl. The tension between euphoric synth lines and devastating vulnerability makes it a compelling pop moment. Those six string interventions appear again on ‘Ice Pick (Walk Away)’ and ‘Coming Home’.
The duo’s classic darker electronic urgency remains intact though as the brilliant ‘Hard Beat’ does precisely what it says on the tin, channelling devious body energy to propel the shady austerity of the band’s past into freaky deviant disco. With Matthews exclaiming “I feel high / when the lights are low”, it captures a raw, sweat-soaked catharsis. However, as ‘Faulty’ also offers more archetypal BOY HARSHER, ‘Pray 4 Me’ surprises in its laid back tone that could almost be FLEETWOOD MAC despite the introspection.
‘Break Me’ adds some boisterous gothic tension while the brooding ‘Bleed’ ends the album with a haunted emotional reality. Far from being a tedious break-up pity party, ‘Get Mean’ mourns, flirts and dances its way out of personal crisis. Muller’s meticulous electronic production balances diamond-dense sequencing with hazy atmospheres, allowing Matthews’ vocal delivery to feel both fragile and defiantly reclaimed.
Ultimately, ‘Get Mean’ stands as BOY HARSHER’s most musically diverse statement to date. By turning romantic collapse into a transportive multi-textured travelogue, Matthews and Muller prove that the creative arc often blooms from the deepest, darkest heartbreaks.
‘Get Mean’ is released by Atlantic Records on 18th September 2026
BOY HARSHER 2026 live dates:
Hudson Basilica (25th September), Boston Royale (27th September), Montreal MTELUS (29th September), Toronto Danforth Music Hall (30th September), Detroit Majestic (1st October), Chicago Metro (2nd October), Chicago Metro (3rd October), Minneapolis Varsity Theater (4th October), Denver Summit (6th October), Portland Revolution Hall (9th October), Portland Revolution Hall (10th October), Seattle The Showbox (11th October), Seattle The Showbox (12th October), Vancouver The Pearl (13th October), Oakland Fox Theater (15th October), Los Angeles Hollywood Palladium (16th October), Del Mar The Sound (17th October), Santa Ana The Observatory Festival Grounds (18th October), Las Vegas House of Blues (20th October), Phoenix Van Buren (21nd October), Fort Worth Sick New World (24th October), New Orleans Republic (26 h October), Atlanta Variety Playhouse (27th October), Asheville The Orange Peel (28th October), Washington The Howard Theatre (30th October), Philadelphia Making Time (31st October), New York Knockdown Center (5th November), Lyon Le Transbordeur (14th November), Paris Bataclan (15th November), Strasbourg La Laiterie (16th November), Frankfurt Zoom (17th November), Lausanne Docks (18th November), Munich Kesselhaus (19th November), Vienna Ottakringer Brauerei (20th November), Leipzig Felsenkeller (21st November), Berlin Columbiahalle (22nd November), Hamburg Gruenspan (24th November), Cologne Essigfabrik (25th November), Amsterdam Paradiso (26th November), Lille L’Aéronef (27th November), Nantes Warehouse (28th November), London Roundhouse (29th November), Manchester Ritz (1st December), Glasgow SWG3 TV Studio (2nd December), Bristol Electric (3rd December), Antwerp De Roma (4th December)
Having built a solid reputation for hook-laden synthpop crafted with an enviable collection of vintage hardware, Dublin-based electronic auteur Peter Fitzpatrick takes a sharp, contemplative turn from the expected path with his analogue vehicle CIRCUIT3.
Leaving behind the traditional song structures that defined earlier works, his latest CIRCUIT3 long player ‘Metanoia’ plunges into a world of spacious, subtly emotive instrumentals that let the synthesizers frame the narrative. The catalyst for this stylistic shift emerged from a post-gig conversation over drinks with Mat Smith of the Mortality Tables imprint. As the dialogue drifted into deep-seated themes of personal trauma, therapeutic breakthroughs and the lingering shadow of emotional repression, a creative seed was planted.
Notebook fragments and raw reflections soon evolved into a series of delicate laboratory experiments. The resulting album operates as a candid sonic diary documenting the gruelling yet ultimately cathartic arc of modern psychotherapy. Fitzpatrick relies on carefully sculpted timbres and warm textures to convey what words often fail to capture.
‘Metanoia’ charts a distinct emotional topography. The shadowy, suffocating soundscapes of ‘Burnout’ and the fractured, abstract geometry of ‘Mood’ give way to the serene contemplation of ‘Where Are We Going?’. Meanwhile, the Vince Clarke collaboration ‘The Hope’ injects a welcome flash of classic melodic optimism into the mix. It makes for an engrossing electronic journey best experienced with headphones to fully appreciate its therapeutic intent.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK caught up with Peter Fitzpatrick to discuss the emotional and creative mechanics behind his “Music From Therapy”…
Photo by Paul Maxwell
Your first three albums have been song based, so what set you off on the ambient instrumental route for ‘Metanoia’?
I had been listening to a lot of purely electronic music, everything from Berlin School artists such as TANGERINE DREAM through to recent works such as Vince Clarke’s ‘Songs of Silence’, alongside many others. It started during the pandemic and developed from there. I had not planned to produce an instrumental album at all. When I was unwell, I leaned into using my instruments for pure audio pleasure and started recording what I created. Originally, the recordings were just for me, with no thought of releasing them.
My previous album ‘Technology for the Youth’ included short instrumental pieces which I enjoyed creating; I was positively pre-disposed to trying more. It’s less weight to carry because you’re not thinking about lyrics or vocals. Stepping away from song structure has been liberating and interesting. I have some beautiful synths capable of making beautiful noises. Instead of writing songs, I had fun with my instruments and remembered to hit record on everything as I experimented. I found myself getting deeper into long-form pieces, which was a departure for me.
Had you tired of synthpop or was it a question of ‘Burnout’ as one of the track titles on ‘Metanoia’ suggests?
No, I have not tired of synthpop. The very idea! I’ve got an album of songs sitting there but I think you’re closer to the mark with your note about burnout.
In early 2023, I experienced burnout; it was terrifying and exhausting. I really thought I was losing my mind. There’s never a good time to be ill, but the timing was particularly unfortunate because I had plans to continue promoting ‘Technology for the Youth’. My brain and body had other ideas. After months of doing very little, I eventually felt able to go back into the studio and play. The only aim was to switch on the instruments and enjoy them for a few minutes, reconnecting with something that brought me joy.
When I met Mat Smith from Mortality Tables in late 2023, he asked if I’d like to contribute a track to a project; that was the genesis of the album. I owe Mat much gratitude for this.
Photo by Jackie Hudson-Lalor
Aside from the more personal therapy motivations, were there any particular ambient works you had enjoyed before that acted as inspiration?
I use the term ambient in a very broad sense. If I was to try describing what I enjoy, it’s “melodic drone”. Is that even a real genre? I always struggle with genres and labels.
The music I was listening to included artists like Aphex Twin and Augustus Muller, who you’ll know from BOY HARSHER. A friend recommended ASHRA’s album ‘Blackouts’, and I also listened to Peter Baumann, TANGERINE DREAM and Chris & Cosey. During my recuperation, I read a couple of Cosey’s books. She’s a fascinating author. I revisited her work with Chris and, of course, THROBBING GRISTLE. I also revisited albums by Lisa Bella Donna, LOGIC SYSTEM and MARTIAL CANTEREL whom your readers will know from XENO & OAKLANDER.
Among the albums I discovered was ‘Drokk: Music Inspired by Mega-City One’, the soundtrack album by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury. I really enjoyed it because it brought the old 2000 AD comics back to life for me. I also fell down the BOARDS OF CANADA rabbit hole. Another artist I only got around to in recent years is Brian Eno. I still think of Eno as part of ROXY MUSIC, and I’m listening my way through his 1970s albums. This is all good: I want to live in a world where there are more “new-to-me” albums. Isn’t it great to know there’s more out there?
When listening to all these artists, I was thinking about their processes and methods and asking myself, “How do you do this?”
The initial sonic clusters of ‘Cracked Eyes’ recall ‘Neroli’ by Brian Eno or is that pure coincidence?
It’s a nice coincidence. I had not listened to that album until a few weeks ago and yes, I hear what you’re hearing. Those sonic clusters are simple sine waves with lush reverb treatment.
‘Cracked Eyes’ is important for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it was recorded live except for one short overdub. I was using a new module, the Befaco Oneiroi, which is designed for creating instant drone-style soundscapes. I modulated the oscillator while playing an evolving melodic sequence into it, full of unequal measures and unusual key modulations. I also sampled myself reciting poetry into the Oneiroi.
Second, that poetry comes from the late Pat Ingoldsby, an Irish poet and writer. Last year I attended the book launch for a posthumous collection of his work. His poem ‘Beautiful Cracked Eyes’ jumped out at me because it related to something I had discussed during therapy. The “keeper of Pat’s poems”, and yes, that is her title, Vivienne Bailey, very kindly gave permission for me to use the poem.
What was the compositional process overall for ‘Metanoia’ and how challenging was it to eschew your songwriter instincts?
I had to develop new processes. This remains exciting because it’s so new to me and I’m getting to use all of the hours of study and listening I’ve put in over decades. I studied music at university and while I don’t fly as high as my university contemporaries such as Michael McGlynn from ANUNA, I haven’t forgotten the fundamentals.
Typically, I would set up a couple of synthesizers and begin to experiment. I’d go into the composition with a theme in mind. The album germinated from the notes I shared with Mat, which gave me plenty of jumping-off points and a clear idea of what I wanted each piece to convey. Relaxing the songwriter muscle was not too difficult because I was quite intentional about writing pieces like this.
My energy levels took a good year to rebuild. Not having to consider lyrics and song structure was a welcome respite. My songwriter instincts have carried over in one important way, though: I’m still mindful of the listener. As far as possible, I’ve tried to shape the pieces so that they remain interesting, whether through their harmonic structures or the sounds themselves. It’s important to me that listeners will want to play this album more than once.
You liven proceedings with some sequencer patterns alongside the drones on ‘Imperfect’, some of it reminds me of Richard Barbieri’s more recent solo work?
Richard Barbieri is great: I love his work. It’s interesting that you should mention the similarity. There’s a sound on ‘Imperfect’, made with the Minimoog Model D, that is not dissimilar to one of the sounds he uses on ‘Traveller’ from his album ‘Hauntings’. It has that unmistakable sound of an overdriven Moog filter.
Even with drone or minimal ambient music, I want some melody, whether that is an ostinato or a Berlin School-style repeated pattern built around an odd time signature. I can’t bring myself to leave the listener behind intentionally with hour-long metal-machine drones.
So ‘Where Are We Going?’
Always going forward. Somewhere better. We have to nurture hope. If we allow hope to die then they have won. We can’t let them win.
Photo by Peter Fitzpatrick
Were you tempted into any modular experimentation for this album or did you feel it was more comforting to stick to your tried and trusted instruments?
A significant change in my music-making followed the integration of semi-modular and fully modular synths into my palette. As I gained confidence using those instruments, I learned to experiment more. Specifically, I started with the Roland System 500 modules. They’re a now-discontinued set of Eurorack-format modules modelled on the System 100M and System 700 series from many years ago.
I have sought out specific modules for particular functions, for example the Befaco Oneiroi and 1010music Bitbox. I’ve avoided buying lots of random modules, something I was somewhat guilty of doing with synths and drum machines in the past. My modular needs are specific but limited.
Toward the end of creating this album, I had the opportunity to acquire some Roland System 100M modules, last manufactured around 1983–84. For those who don’t know, these modules were used on many classic albums and by artists we all admire. Your readers will know the sound. They aren’t in the smaller Eurorack format, but in a larger proprietary format, housed in metal boxes that fit into a dedicated case. I was drawn to them because of the sounds they create, having heard what people like Alan Wilder, Vince Clarke and Martin Rushent have done with them. I expect them to get a lot of use when I return to song-based recording.
‘What If Everything Goes Right?’ might be considered to be the most conventional in its structure as an instrumental on this album, how did this come together?
Coincidentally it was the first track I created for this project and was the last track to be finished. I was exploring Berlin school type sequencing and wanted to work on the track with the ARP 2600 so that I could become more familiar with it. The repeating patterns come from the 2600. The additional sounds are from the Sequential Prophet 10 and Oberheim OB-X8.
The track almost didn’t make the cut. I felt it was incomplete; it needed something. I played it alongside an old film to see whether that gave me inspiration. The soundtrack idea had me thinking about choral sounds, and I remembered that I had a very nice choir library sitting on one of my samplers. I think that’s the only use of digital technology on the album.
How did Vince Clarke come to work with you on ‘The Hope’?
It’s an amusing story and a lesson in the power of positivity. I call it my “synth blind date”.
Every few weeks I’d send Mat new works in progress as the album developed. Then he messaged me to ask if I’d be interested in collaborating with another artist. I said yes. It’s important to understand that collaboration doesn’t always work, not because anybody is unwilling or unable, but because the planets have to align if you want to catch lightning in a bottle. I thought nothing more of it. A few weeks later, the morning after KITE’s 2024 London show, Mat forwarded a screenshot of a message that said, roughly, “Yes, I’m happy to work with Peter. Have him email me and tell me what he’d like me to do on the track”. Before I could reply, Mat sent another message: “Oh, that’s from Vince, by the way.”
I had to do a double take. Whenever I’m asked about influences and people I’d like to work with Vince has always been top of the list. We had exchanged emails in the past. You might expect the chance to collaborate with somebody I admire to create a lot of pressure, but it was the exact opposite. I knew what I wanted Vince to do, and I knew how it was going to work.
Exploring my desire to dabble in the visual arts, I’ve produced a gorgeous video with help from my friend, the artist Jackie Hudson Lalor. I’m really proud of both the track and its accompanying video. For a “synth blind date”, it worked out well even if I may say so myself.
Some would say Vince Clarke’s contribution to ‘The Hope’ is very audible…
Some would say that and some would be correct.
I had already created a track using the Moog Matriarch, a melodic drone with no set tempo. I used the synthesizer’s two envelopes to drive it: when one envelope finished, its end point triggered the other, creating an infinite drone loop.
The brief for Vince was straightforward. I’d painted a picture of hope and hopelessness, and I wanted him to bring some hope into the listening experience. Even when things feel hopeless, hope is still there somewhere. I asked him to let it ebb and flow against the darkness of the drone until it eventually revealed itself.
He sent me some ideas a couple of weeks later. Sometimes it’s best not to overengineer or overthink these things. I was able to use those ideas to complete the track. Let’s not forget that Vince has created some of the most memorable melodies of our generation. I knew the brief would play to his strengths, but he did more than provide a melody. He introduced an arpeggio into a track with no obvious tempo, which was an interesting response. He painstakingly built a tempo map to drive a very simple but effective repeating synth pattern. The Tierce de Picardie resolution at the end is entirely Vince’s, and it’s something I would probably have shied away from for one silly reason or another.
Do you and Vince do much synth talk or was this a remote collaboration in the truest sense?
We exchanged emails and Logic Pro sessions trading them between our studios in Dublin and New York, where Vince was living at the time. We did chat a little about synths but only to the point where I wanted to understand what he had used and I shared a little bit of what I used. I suspect Vince just doesn’t want to talk synthesizers so I didn’t distract from the job-in-hand. I didn’t want to be that guy. I don’t think he dreams of wires all day long.
Which tracks on ‘Metanoia’ give you the most satisfaction?
That’s a tough question. I think the entire album gives me real satisfaction because I realised my vision. Forced to choose, I think ‘The Hope’ because it represents a successful collaboration and of course personal achievement.
Two tracks stand out for me. ‘Where Are We Going’ reminded me how much I enjoy playing piano, and it came together in two takes one Saturday afternoon. ‘Shielding From The Past’ is satisfying because of the sounds used, and I’m pleased that I was able to create a track that sustains interest for more than six minutes without needing lyrics.
Photo by John Keenan
Is there a way of listening to ‘Metanoia’ that you would recommend for best results?
I ask the listener to switch off the outside world, sit comfortably and give themselves the time to listen to this as a work. ‘Metanoia’ was mixed, sequenced and mastered with that in mind. So much of what is released these days is disposable and fragmented. I don’t want this album to be wallpaper; I want it to be a listening experience. The concise running time is intentional.
Everything about this album is intentional. Whether that is the sound, the harmonic structure, the sequencing of the tracks or the artwork; I’d love to think people will listen with intent.
So will there be more ambient instrumental albums or will you return to songs? What is next for you?
There definitely will. I’m looking forward to further experimentation. I continued creating new pieces in my studio until I had to focus on promoting ‘Metanoia’. I have at least one unfinished song-based album, and I want to make many more. I feel fortunate to have the ability, the tools and a very receptive audience, all of which allow me to do this.
I’m preparing to perform ‘Metanoia’ live here in Dublin mid-September 2026 with the possibility of a London date on the horizon. I’m keen to further explore visual art to accompany my music such as the video we have created for ‘The Hope’.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Peter Fitzpatrick
MESH continue their 2026 tour in support of their most recent album ‘The Truth Doesn’t Matter’.
Released 10 years since the last MESH album ‘Looking Skyward’, ‘The Truth Doesn’t Matter’ provided dark commentary on this age of post-factual lies and muddled political viewpoints that have allowed fascism to be normalised and empathy to be treated as the enemy.
The album’s closing track ‘Be Kind’ needed no explanation while the cut and thrust metaphors of ‘Exile’ could be seen on either personal or political levels. Elsewhere the more sparsely orchestrated ‘Hey Stranger’ was offset by wonderfully bubbling arpeggios for one of those classic sad MESH ballads with a lyric attempting to reach out to those in less fortunate circumstances.
While there was a lot of MESH to take in on this double opus, ‘The Truth Doesn’t Matter’ saw Mark Hockings and Rich Silverthorn climb yet another rung on the ladder of acclaim and continue to be a live draw in Europe. To meet increased demand, MESH have announce the second leg of their tour with dates in Germany, Poland and Czechia where they play the Sever Synth Festival alongside AESTHETIC PERFECTION, FROZEN PLASMA, LAKESIDE X and AUGER.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK brought Mark Hockings and Rich Silverthorn together for an interview with a twist; in the style of the old married couple TV quiz show ‘Mr & Mrs’, the pair answered the same questions on their creative partnership and personal relationship separately without knowledge of the other’s answers… the results make fun reading! So here are MESH playing ‘Mr & Mr’!
What was your first impression of the other?
Mark: I was initially blown away by the fact that there was someone in Bristol that seemed to want to do all of the same things in music that I did. Same influences, same musical history. He seemed to have his sh*t together technically. I was impressed by the amount of cool gear he had and that his studio had an 8 track tape recorder. And he seemed really nice.
Rich: I met Mark through playing gigs in and around Bristol. He came to a gig I was playing and introduced himself. The following week I went to see his band. My first and lasting impression of Mark was his voice. He sang one song and I instantly thought “wow this guy can sing!”
Who has the best record collection?
Mark: Probably Rich. I suspect we actually have the same record collections up to a point in time. I have more guitar music probably.
Rich: Me of course. Mine is a collection of weird and wonderful electronic artists along with some timeless classics, Mark’s is full of Droop Doggy Dog, Jay Zed and Dr Dred and all that rap nonsense that leaves me cold. Haha… I’m sure he will say otherwise!
What song by another artist does the other love that you hate?
Mark: Rich hates any rap music. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like the collected works of Ol’ Dirty Bastard for example.
Rich: There was a period in the mid-to-late 90s that Mark was listening to loads of this stuff which just didn’t connect with me at all!
Photo by Guido Braun
What was the moment that you knew you could be in a band together?
Mark: For me it was when I first saw him play at a venue called the Bristol Bridge Inn. He had another singer then. I felt the need to talk to him afterwards which is not something I would have normally done. I suspect his would be when I sung one song in the same venue with a band I was in at the time. I normally played keyboards.
Rich: I rang Mark after our first meeting at the gigs I mentioned and asked if he would be interested in writing together with no pressure. We met at my small studio and wrote ‘Waste of Time’ in an evening. I think that ticked all the boxes and we knew that there was potential.
What’s the skill or trait which the other has in abundance that you wish you had?
Rich: Computer / IT skills. Mark is a nerdy genius when it comes to all this kind of stuff. I on the other hand just use computers to fulfil a task. They are just a tool to me. Also his ability to write lyrics with such deep heartfelt feelings.
Mark: His organisational skills certainly. He gets into the weeds with stuff which I really admire and is a huge benefit to the band. His programming skills with drums.
When Neil Taylor left MESH in 2006, things could have gone either way… how did you deal with the situation to enable you to be the band you are today?
Mark: I’m pretty sure we treated it as a set-back rather than a game-over scenario. There was a certainly a big hole left by Neil, as a friend and as a big part of the whole musical process, but we knew we could still write songs together – I don’t think that was ever really a worry for us. We started on the journey as a duo and that’s where we found ourselves again. Dynamics shift in these situations I guess, but our friendship and work relationship has never been in question.
Rich: It was a period where we both thought “well that’s it then, MESH is done” but the desire to carry on writing was the energy we used to continue. Mark and I was always the writing partnership whereas Neil was a very good organiser and took care of all the administrative stuff. It was this role that we had to take on to continue. ‘A Perfect Solution’ was our first album without Neil and still feels like a more “pure” album than anything previous. There were less compromises musically than ever before.
Photo by Kieran Gallop
How would you describe your songwriting dynamic?
Mark: We are very in tune I think. He writes music that he knows will help me write the song lyrics and although I know I can wrong-foot him on what I send back, ultimately I’m confident that I know his taste well enough that he’ll like what I’ve done, even if it takes a while. We work extremely well together. I think we both know when to step back on a difference of opinion, because we’ve learnt over the years to listen and to not make snap decisions on initial impressions. That’s a difficult place to get to when dealing with two people with strong opinions. We both bring different things to the process, but we also have a lot of common ground.
Rich: I have no idea. There is definitely something but it’s hard to put into words. If you ever listened to each other’s demos before they become fully blown songs they have an individual distinct sound, it’s only the combining of the two that creates that MESH sound. Interestingly we can’t actually write together. It’s always one of us comes up with an idea working alone and then presents it to the other for their unique input.
Is there a musical instrument or piece of tech that is owned by the other that you covet?
Rich: Maybe not so much nowadays. Between us we have a stupid amount of gear almost to the point we look like collectors rather than people who actually use it. Mark has a cool selection of modular gear which is quite inspiring, but I know I just wouldn’t use it enough to justify having it. I think we have both found ourselves in that position if we want something, we just go and buy it.
Mark: The Analogue Solutions Impulse Command.
Photo by Guido Braun
When was the last time you walked out angry after a disagreement between you and how did you resolve it?
Mark: I don’t remember that happening. If it did, I’ve forgotten.
Rich: Setlists can be a bit of a controversial subject at times. We both have our favourite songs and reasons for playing certain tracks so there can be a bit of tension. Also for me soundchecking is another tense time on a daily basis when you are on tour. Having known each other for so long, I think we can read each other well enough and know when to back off. So in answer to the question, I really can’t remember a time when it’s got that bad.
There’s an Autumn concert tour coming up, how do you decide the setlist, do you have an individual power of veto?
Mark: It’s by committee. Myself and Rich I guess have the final say, and we both have our own favourites that we like to play. If one of us doesn’t like a particular track and the other does, then we might mix it about from night to night as a form of compromise.
Rich: Well as it is ‘The Truth Doesn’t Matter’ tour the setlist is heavily biased to that album. Obviously we have to do the “non-negotiables” as we call them, like ‘Born To Lie’, ‘Last One Standing’ and ‘Taken For Granted’ and then we try and throw in a few curve balls from our back catalogue. The older we get and more songs we write, the harder it gets. Generally it’s an amicable discussion and no one stamps their feet when they don’t get their way. It’s about putting on a good dynamic show that has a crescendo at the end.
Now you’ve had some distance, how do you back on the making and subsequent reception of ‘The Truth Doesn’t Matter’?
Mark: We had a bit of an initial go at it, then lost momentum for a few years. We did a lot of shows, there was Covid (yawn) then we kind of started up again. It was slow at first and then it ramped up big time. A very productive and enjoyable time. It’s very satisfying to start to assemble something resembling a record, particularly the nearer you get to finishing it and seeing it as complete work. I really enjoyed doing the photographs and the artwork, buying stuff from eBay (like the dummy heads) to make all the pages. I guess my favourite part is always getting together with Olaf in Germany to mix it. We all had a lot of fun during that time.
Rich: It is always difficult for me to judge. The whole time during the writing process, I am never sure it’s good enough or whether it will meet people’s expectations but since the release, it has been crazy. It seems that everyone loves it. So many good reviews and the sales have been fantastic. Only recently, I sat and read all the comments on YouTube for the singles and the album. It’s quite overwhelming, so I guess we done something right.
What’s your favourite MESH album and why?
Rich: They all have a place in my heart as they transport me back to time in which they were written. Some of the early albums I listen to and still can’t believe we actually managed to make them given the technology we had at the time. Tape machines, samplers, SMPTE timecode etc. I look back with fondness to most of them but if I was forced to choose I think it would be ‘The Truth Doesn’t Matter’. As a body of work there isn’t any song on that album I would change or do differently.
Mark: ‘The Truth Doesn’t Matter’; I think it represents our best work to date, musically and lyrically. I think it is also Olaf’s best mixing work.
What is your favourite city to visit on tour?
Mark: I like Berlin personally.
Rich: I have always liked Berlin for its history and culture, but also places like Moscow were very cool to visit.
What is the essential thing that you can’t do without on tour?
Rich: Earplugs (bus life isn’t easy with snoring people)
Mark: My Shokz headphones for listening to podcasts when I go to bed on the bus. And my new essential is an electric longboard which I brought with me in April this year.
On the tour bus, top bunk or lower bunk and why?
Rich: Top bunk for me. I’m not keen on being down at people’s feet level when everyone is going to bed leaving their shoes near you.
Mark: Top definitely. It sways more (which I like) and it’s away from people’s shoes!
What’s the most annoying habit that the other has on tour?
Rich: Taking forever to get out of the venue. Mark generally is the very last person to leave the dressing room every night! Haha…
Mark: It’s not annoying, but Rich is obsessed with coffee in the morning. I find it quite funny if there isn’t any in the venue as soon as he walks in as he quickly starts get agitated.
Favourite MESH song to play live and why?
Mark: At the moment it’s ‘Everything As It Should Be’ from the new album. Don’t know why. I just like the energy of it. Over the long term I would say ‘Last One Standing’.
Rich: Probably ‘Born To Lie’. It’s just a full on rock out kind of song with good crowd participation.
What’s your favourite concert by another artist?
Rich: DEPECHE MODE ‘Songs Of Faith and Devotion’ Tour, the last time they were good live… controversial, I will probably get hate mail now! Plus I saw NINE INCH NAILS on the ‘Pretty Hate Machine’ Tour at the Bierkeller, a small venue in Bristol. I just remember it being like a riot and the end, so much energy.
Mark: I rarely watch concerts but I was impressed with Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ tour.
Cars or Motorbikes? F1 or MotoGP?
Mark: Cars. MotoGP
Rich: Well I am a full on Motocross fan. I used to race when I was younger and still love it and watch all the GPs and American series so I guess “bikes” but just in MXGP format as opposed to MotoGP.
Which F1, MotoGP or any other motorsports team pairing, past or present is most like MESH?
Rich: Senna and Hill 1994 I have no idea why but what a combo that was…
Mark: Colin McRae & Nicky Grist? I know that’s not what you were getting at though… maybe Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell? Endurance teamwork! 😀
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its special thanks to Mark Hockings and Rich Silverthorn
With its roots embedded deep in sunny Southern California, San Diego might not be the first locale you associate with darkwave melancholia.
Having released two albums ‘Shattered’ and ‘Crystals’ as the lead vocalist of the synth duo GLASS SPELLS, Tania Cassette has proven that gloomy electronic pop can bloom where the light fails to reach. Stepping out on her own with her debut offering ‘The Death Of Me’, she delivers a glittering collection of tragic love, blood-moon rituals and restless dreams that marks her arrival as a formidable solo protagonist.
Across 12 tracks sung in both English and Spanish, ‘The Death Of Me’ feels less like a departure from her origin story and more like a total emancipation. Produced by twin brothers Myles and Kyle Mendes of NITE, the album leans heavily into gothic-tinged songwriting that you can dance to. Wrapped in glossy synthpop and darkwave with a conscious bias on the former, Tania Cassette brings a sweet yet poignant vocal delivery reminiscent of Rose McDowall’s work both in STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE and solo, effortlessly contrasting discordant atmospheres with a wide-eyed melodic prowess. As with that Scottish pair’s biggest hit ‘Since Yesterday’, over the seemingly breezy synthesized dressing are much weightier lyrical gists.
The record opens with ‘The Rabbit’, an immediate slice of dark electronic pop that sets the aesthetic baseline. Swirling with discordant textures, Tania Cassette’s mid-range vocals channel the wavey charm of the ‘Pretty In Pink’ soundtrack, pulling the listener headfirst into her wonderland of nocturnal anxieties.
From there, the momentum builds rapidly. The glorious tones of ‘The Flame’ shift the album into unadulterated Italo disco dynamics. It boasts a Eurocentric chorus that instantly secures its spot on alternative dancefloors. The rhythm stays lively on ‘Bring Fire’, a spritely piece of off-beat synthpop that practically demands a montage sequence out of a John Hughes film.
Singing en Española, our heroine brings energy to ‘Por Tu Amor’, a track as sweet as a Mazapán yet backed by a muscular electronic pulse. The album briefly slows its stride on ‘Fatal Love’, taking down the tempo without sacrificing an ounce of its defined synth hooks, before melting into the minimalist arpeggio-laden and self-explanatory ‘Interlude’.
What makes ‘The Death Of Me’ so engaging is its refusal to stay buried in gloom. ‘Haunt Tenderly’ is a gorgeous starburst of airy vocals and bright arrangements, while ‘A Better Dream’ delivers some Stacey Q-styled electro euphoria paired with angelic bilingual verses. ‘Shadow in the Dark’ balances heavy synthbass with electronic sparkles, paving the way for the cinematic snaps and shadier drama of ‘Isabella’.
‘Despierta’ opens with a mournful classical piano motif that wouldn’t feel out of place on an ULTRAVOX record, but suddenly morphs into a driving sequence straight out of the PET SHOP BOYS playbook. Its hypnotic bassline frames our heroine’s Spanish lyrical expression with undeniable elegance. By the time the closing title track arrives, an enticing bass rumble draws the listener into the ultimate surrender as “love kills tonight”. It’s a cathartic ending to a record defined by personal transformation.
Despite the night terrors and the love that ruins, what Tania Cassette has actually crafted is a sterling synthpop record with ‘The Death of Me’. Anxious to express her own influences and instincts, she has proved her worth by completely trusting her instincts and stepping out of the shadow of expectation. Telling tales of resilience and agony, this album marks the death of the smaller self she had outgrown and the rise of the one she was always meant to be with its happy-sad dialectic.
‘The Death Of Me’ is released on 4th September 2026 in ruby red speckled vinyl LP, CD, cassette and digital formats, available direct from https://www.taniacassette.com/collections/all
Tania Cassette 2026 live dates:
Los Angeles Paramount (album release show – 12th September), Santa Cruz Moe’s Alley (25th September), Pomona The Flyway (28th November), Las Vegas Swan Dive (5th December)
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
Follow Us!