“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
Intended as a soundtrack to a post-truth world, Rodney Cromwell presented his second album ‘Memory Box’ in Spring this year.
While themed around selective memories, its closing track ‘The Winter Palace’ is about wanting to forget a lost love. Utilising motorik mechanisation as its backbone, there are shades of OMD and NEW ORDER within the glacial electronic soundscape while a glorious synth solo thrown in for good measure. Behind Rodney Cromwell is indie veteran Adam Cresswell, once of SALOON and ARTHUR & MARTHA, he tells his former beau: “I dream of you regardless, whether I am asleep or awake”.
Fresh off a number of prestigious live dates opening for BLANCMANGE, Adam Cresswell gave an explanation of ‘The Winter Palace’.
‘The Winter Palace’ is the track that many have singled out from ‘Memory Box’, what do you think is the key to its appeal?
I’ve no idea. It was only after people started telling me that it was “a beautiful song” that I realised it was any good. I’m never the best judge. But I am very glad people like it because I spent ages on it; I re-wrote the melody and lyrics three times, then I re-pitched the whole thing into a different key so I could sing it better and because I use knackered old synths, it meant I had to re-record almost everything from scratch.
As to why people like it, well, I guess we live in complicated times, perhaps its appeal is in its simplicity. I think we all want to escape out of the super complexity of our digitally driven lives sometimes. The song is essentially five chords – all vintage synths, no programming beyond the drum machine – so it might be new to 2022, but it’s a simple construction with a familiar sound. The synths may feel icy, but it’s actually a super-warm production that you can immerse yourself in, like a cosy blanket. And the lyrics are pretty universal too; it’s about obsessing over someone despite not really liking them. Most of us can relate to that.
Yes, can relate to that… so what is ‘The Winter Palace’?
Whatever you want it to be. I got the name from Lucy Worsley history show about the Russian tsars. It just sounded cool so I thought “I’ll have that”. It suited this song because I see the narrator as someone out in the cold with the object of his affection – or contempt – distant and unobtainable. It was originally called ‘Seemingly Infinite Sadness’ but that was a bit pretentious even for me.
How did the video concept come together?
Martin J Langthorne who plays synth in my live band and who was behind the whole ‘Memory Box’ design aesthetic directed it. I just asked Martin if he could put together something that looked like the record sleeve coming-alive. It’s a juxtaposition of concrete brutalism and the natural world; light and dark tones with explosions of colour. The concept was I suppose, to do something incredibly conceptual, while trying to pretend it’s simple and incredibly down to earth. Which is a nice summary of the whole Rodney Cromwell project.
You’ve been opening on selected dates for BLANCMANGE, how have you found the experience?
They’ve been brilliant; it was lovely playing to a really appreciative audience that really got what we do. And also playing in venues that can do justice to our lo-fi – but epic – sound was a breath of fresh-air.
I thought we were a pretty good fit with BLANCMANGE too because, obviously while they are super-professional and serious about giving a real great performance, there is often a wicked irreverence to what they do; one minute they’ll be playing an poignant synth ballad and the next Neil Arthur is making you laugh-out-loud singing about a lettuce. Our own irreverence though often falls into farce. On our first night I managed to lose my tour pass, and my hotel key and very almost the trousers I was wearing, so God knows what they thought of us.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its grateful thanks to Adam Cresswell
With DESIRE, GLÜME and CLUB INT’L having done their bit for Italians Do It Better at Fabric a few days earlier, it was the turn of MOTHERMARY, LOVE OBJECT and JOON for a second label showcase at the trendy Laylow in London’s Notting Hill.
A four floor establishment with a restaurant frequented by the likes of George Clooney, Kate Moss and David Beckham plus a basement music venue, a mortgage was required for a couple of drinks at Laylow.
But the financial pain was soothed almost immediately by DESIRE front woman Megan Louise on the decks playing Giorgio Moroder’s ‘Chase’. Throughout the evening, the Italians Do It Better President provided an enjoyable soundtrack of Italo disco, electroclash, techno and French New Wave between acts that was discerning and hip but not too cool for school, a lesson that could be learnt by other DJs.
Almost a homecoming having studied music technology in London, Maltese producer Yasmin Kuymizakis gave her first gig in the capital as her alter-ego JOON. Appropriately opening with the brilliant ‘Good Times’, Kuymizakis left her workstation to join the audience for an impromptu sing-song.
Her optimism and joy set the tone for a performance featuring a number of songs from her debut album ‘Dream Again’. The blippy pop of ‘ET’ came complete vintage horror film Theremin tones yet had people dancing while despite playing with drones, the quirky instrumental ‘I.You’ provoked a few smiles. The final song of the set was the huskily voiced ‘Worse Things’ which had been due to appear on ‘Dream Again’. But it had now been reworked from its ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ origins into something more clubtastic.
So well received was JOON’s performance that the audience demanded not one but two encores. Kuymizakis obliged with a pair of works-in-progress of which, the first was very promising despite having sections that had not yet been completely worked out.
Russian duo LOVE OBJECT first appeared on the Italians Do It Better compilation ‘After Dark 3’ and came out with their debut album ‘New Flesh’ on the label at the end of 2021. Comprising of singer Dasha Utochka and producer Danya Mu, an erotic overtone lingers over LOVE OBJECT, perhaps not surprising as Utochka co-founded ‘Areola’, a publication whose mission statement is “To help people become more liberated and freethinking!”.
LOVE OBJECT’s ethos is to challenge control so their stark neo-industrial was fitting. After opening with a cover of Madonna’s ‘Frozen’, Utochka’s vocals were delivered mostly in her native language. The doom laden hip-hop of ‘Virus’ was on point with its apocalyptic rap of truths while ‘Object Of Desire’ included a short narrative from Mu before Utochka took over like Miss Kittin reciting Cyrillic script. Closing with their best song ‘Transparent Woman’, this speedy slice of tech-pop made the most of its percolating percussive metallics.
Inspired by the Prayer of the Blessed Virgin, the striking MOTHERMARY are like real-life ‘Twin Peaks’ characters, the backstory being that twins Elyse and Larena Winn escaped their strict Mormon family upbringing in remote Montana and uprooted to Brooklyn. “Women can be mothers and nurturing and caring and smart, and we also get to have f***ing sex drives” MOTHERMARY said in the press release for their debut album ‘I Am Your God’ released at the start of 2022.
Religious imagery is a recurring theme in the Winn’s sexually charged music as they channel their collective repression to confront patriarchy. Taking to the stage from the audience in red veils to the ominous tones of ‘Devils’, MOTHERMARY formally began their London premiere with the bubbling electro R’n’B of ‘Give It Up’. Removing their veils to reveal black leather coats, ‘Pray’ made references to a “sacrificial offering” over an acid house squelch, while the twins declared “We’ll pray for you…”
Photo by Belle Piec
Disrobing to latex basques and thigh length boots for the Schaffel driven ‘Catch Fire’, MOTHERMARY toasted themselves as “the cult to end all cults”. No stranger to the songs of Madonna Louise Ciccone having covered ‘Like A Prayer’ on ‘I Am Your God’, their live version of ‘Like A Virgin’ illustrated more vividly, the haunting anguish and subsequent emotional rebirth behind the Tom Kelly / Billy Steinberg composition. Meanwhile ‘Coming For You’ provided a sinister stalker-like statement of devotion, before the set culminated in ‘Burn With Desire’ and a performance of ‘Like A Prayer’ itself.
It was another enjoyable evening of music, where each artist had their own considered style of presentation. Assorted emotions were conveyed across varied interpretations of electronic pop and held together by the brand identity of Italians Do It Better. Avoiding the “see if it sticks” approach of other independent labels, there was a distinct curated quality behind it all.
Special thanks to Frankie Davison at Stereo Sanctity
After a successful first outing in 2021, The Pitchfork Festival London was back to present a variety of established and newer acts with various curated themes at venues across the capital including The ICA and Roundhouse
On the final day of the almost week long festival, the renowned superclub Fabric hosted a showcase by cult US electronic music label Italians Do It Better featuring DESIRE, GLÜME and CLUB INT’L.
The label was co-founded in 2006 by Johnny Jewel who continues to run the label to this day with partner-in-crime and the face of DESIRE, Megan Louise. Best known for once being the home of CHROMATICS, the profile of Italians Do It better was boosted a number of key soundtrack inclusions, notably the 2011 Ryan Gosling film ‘Drive’ which featured ‘Tick Of The Clock’ by CHROMATICS and ‘Under Your Spell’ by DESIRE.
More recently, Italians Do It Better has expanded its roster and signed a number of acts from all around the globe including JOON, LOVE OBJECT and MOTHERMARY who were present at Fabric to support their colleagues, but also to play at their own showcase at Laylow later in the week.
Opening proceedings were CLUB INT’L, essentially the vehicle of multi-instrumentalist John Eatherly but tonight, he has been accompanied on stage by co-vocalist and self-styled “Movie Character” Logan Avidan.
The photogenic couple looked like they finished a Jean Luc-Godard film and had music to match with a twist. Highlights included the shoegazey single ‘Ride’ and an appealing rendition of ‘The Tide Is High’, the reggae tune originally by THE PARAGONS made famous by BLONDIE.
The fashionable crowd waited in anticipation for GLÜME, the “Walmart Marilyn Monroe” whose 2021 debut album ‘The Internet’ unexpectedly gained worldwide traction and was praised by alternative artists such as Daniel Graves of AESTHETIC PERFECTION.
On stage, she showed her endearing vulnerability performing autobiographical songs such as ‘Child Actor’, ‘Body’ and ‘Nervous Breakdown’ but it was the new material premiered from the upcoming sophomore album like ‘Do Me A Favor’, ‘Main Character’ and ‘Surgery’ that impressed.
Playing on her Norma Jeane Mortenson parachuted into Twin Peaks persona, there was a playful Marilyn cover in ‘After You Get What You Want’ from the 1954 musical ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’.
The Gary Numan meets LADYTRON styled ‘Get Low’ got the audience participating in an crouching disco dance ended a highly enjoyable performance. For a girl who had never been outside of the USA before 2021, the world is now GLÜME’s oyster.
The acclaimed debut album by DESIRE was released in 2009 and creating a follow-up has seemingly been an arduous process. But Megan Louise hasn’t been idle over the intervening years, continuing to release singles, collaborate and getting involved in the day-today operations of Italians Do It Better.
With the second DESIRE album ‘Escape’ finally released in 2022, Megan Louise and Johnny Jewel had more songs to play around with compared to their last London gig at The Roundhouse opening for CHROMATICS in 2019. Live favourites such as ‘Don’t Call’, ‘If I Can’t Hold You’ and the cover of NEW ORDER’s Bizarre Love Triangle’ remained. But in came glorious atmospheric electro-disco numbers like ‘Zeros’ and ‘Liquid Dreams’ with wonderful synth interventions by Jewel on his vintage Univox K-2, the US variant of the MiniKorg 700s. Benefitting from more penetrating rhythmic backdrops, ‘Black Latex’ and ‘Days & Nights’ ensured that there was no excuse to go for a comfort break.
Dressed in black latex, Megan Louise was tastefully brazen while playfully teasing the crowd. At one point, she even made out with a skeleton while accidently dismembering it.
With the support of those present, all the “LAHS” came out in force during a reinterpretation of Kylie’s ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ and a dynamic take on the ‘Escape’ title song before a toughened-up ‘Under Your Spell’ provided a thumping close to the evening.
Almost as soon as the curtain came down, Megan Louise was already in casuals, meeting fans in the foyer and happily posing for selfies. It was just one of those good natured evenings with a welcoming atmosphere and of course, great music. With their brand outlining a distinct stamp of quality, hopefully Italians Do It Better will be back again in London soon to put on more showcases… KID MOXIE & NINA next time please 😉
Special thanks to Frankie Davison at Stereo Sanctity
CELLULOIDE are the enigmatic synth trio from Marseille who have been a cult favourite with discerning electronic music enthusiasts since their formation in 2000.
Adopting mysterious pseudonyms, they are fronted by the feminine stereo vocal presence of Darkleti while on the left is Member U-0176 and to his right is the more conventionally named Patryck Holdwem. CELLULOIDE’s reputation was built in their Synthélabo via ‘Naive Heart’, their debut long player issued in 2002; it is now remastered and reissued for 2022 by French indie label BOREDOMproduct.
While CELLUIODE are now veterans of seven albums, it seems unusual to look back to see that their first body of work was lyrically lamenting the passage of time and fearing the future, as many young acts did back in the pioneering days of synth.
‘Naive Heart’ did as the album title suggested and there was an innocent bleepy charm about it that appealed with listeners who would have tired of grunge and indie but were buoyed by the promise of a new dawn, thanks to the new generation of song based electronic acts such as LADYTRON.
The catchy opening number ‘A Lie’ initiated CELLUIODE’s aural manifesto with buzzy percolating minimal synthpop and detached but wonderfully appealing European Female vocals.
‘Someone Like Me’ upped the tempo and the iciness and as octave shifting moods and primitive rhythm boxes provided the backbone, the dispassion conveyed proved to be incongruously emotive.
Ramping up the mood with a harder drive verging on Goth Italo, ‘Pretty Girl’ could be mistaken for an EMMON track today although the more nostalgic ‘Wounds Of Love’ made the most of a throbbing engine room as a string machine cut through, effectively enhanced by responsive Gore-like backing vocals by the male contingent of the trio.
The cold wave of ‘Blessed Charms’ proved to be wonderfully mechanical and simplistic thanks to its hypnotic bleeping motif while ‘Sixth Sense’ was an infectiously eerie concoction based around absorbing synth bass and strings… and yes, Bruce Willis was a ghost all along!! 👻
‘Seven & Forever’ made interesting use of a cooker alarm within its backing and as the Clarkean ‘Missing Words’ displayed crossover potential despite its Sci-Fi synthetic texturing, ‘In Contempt Of Common Sense’ partied like it was 1980 and went into Gallic FAD GADGET mode with a distorted male lead.
Rumbling on the triplets, ‘The Reed’ took on a more dramatic darkwave approach but the girly vocals maintained the wider sonic spectrum while ‘The Paradox Of The Mirror Girl’ came over like CLIENT and eerily would have been birthed around the same time as Client A and Client B were working on their debut. To close, ‘It Needed An End’ provided just that in its nonchalant resignation.
One of the joys of today’s more open online market for music consumption is the opportunity to hear lesser known works as new several decades on.
Having been an album originally released before social media was ever a thing, CELLULOIDE’s ‘Naive Heart’ is one of those records deservedly reset for discovery by an electronic pop audience that the internet already has in place.
The Scottish Swedish pairing of Andrew Montgomery and Leo Josefsson released their debut album ‘First Contact’ in 2019 under the two letter moniker of US.
Extending their name to UNIFY SEPARATE, their excellent second album ‘Music Since Tomorrow’ looks at the future in an uncertain world, shaped by Montgomery’s own relationship breakdown and the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
A record of conflicting emotions, other topics include environmental issues, social media and the disconnects of life. Augmented by more guitars than heard on ‘First Contact’, a denser sound is presented on ‘Music Since Tomorrow’ to document a period of personal struggle that many can relate to. Josefsson’s machines battle with six string contributions from Christian Persson and SUEDE’s Richard Oakes while Montgomery tests his vocal range with lots of emotive falsetto.
A darker, more indie sounding album than their US debut, despite the midlife sorrows, UNIFY SEPARATE have provided a collection of glorious pandemic pop to savour. Andrew Montgomery and Leo Josefsson chatted with ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK and reflected about their ‘Music Since Tomorrow’…
‘Music Since Tomorrow’ documents a period of personal and existential upheaval, this can’t have been an easy album to make?
Andrew: It really wasn’t! Like everyone in the world, we struggled with the strangeness and sadness of the pandemic, even though Sweden didn’t go into actual lockdown and we were both lucky not to lose anyone due to it. But there were also personal things in the background which cast a bit of shadow over the album process. It’s fair to say that coming to the studio to work with Leo was personally a bit of a refuge for me at a time when I was wee bit lost, and to know that we were creating something special was a bit of a light in the darkness.
To also see just how much artistry Leo put into the production and song composition inspired me to give my utmost and rise to the standards he was setting. But ultimately, like so many other artists, there’s also the situation of being a band that needs to do other jobs to get by – that’s not always easy either, as many musicians know. We made it to the finishing line, though, and we’re lucky that we are both blessed with good health and good people around us.
Did the creative dynamic between the two of you become affected as a result?
Andrew: Sometimes it got a little tense, but Leo, in common with most Swedes I know, seems to have a very long fuse! I’m much more inclined to get het up over things. He is better at just getting on with it, I think. But we’re still friends. Right, Leo? … Leo????
Leo: Andrew has days where I simply just have to drink even more coffee and everything will be ok.
Have you managed to get your ‘Closure’? Where did the trancier influences on that track come from?
Leo: 🙂 We see what you did there! Actually it’s a result of Andrew introducing me to loads of current electronic music such as MODERAT and FLOATING POINTS, as well as Kelly Lee Owens, Nicolas Jaar and Jon Hopkins. It also re-awakened my previous fascination for EBM and darker-tinged club music such as NITZER EBB, UNDERWORLD and FRONT 242. There was also some inspiration from the ’28 Days Later’ theme in there.
‘Solitude & I’ can be appreciated on a number of relatable levels…
Leo: We hope so! That’s a song about staying the course despite everything that’s being thrown at you. It works as a personal anthem and a collective one, especially in this day and age…
‘Embrace The Fear’ can be considered a product of lockdown but nearly a year and a half on from its single release, it still stands up and is a cornerstone of the album…
Andrew: That’s great to hear, thanks. We’re really proud of that one and it was indeed an important step forward in the way that we were expanding our soundworld. It builds on some of our shared musical foundations and influences, such as NEW ORDER, DEPECHE MODE and indie-dance music from the late 80s / early 90s, but it also has its own particular flavour that belongs to us. It’s a strong message allied to a strong and memorable tune. And who hasn’t wondered about embracing the fear in the last few years, if only just to get through the bloody madness we are being faced with on a daily basis…
Andrew: Yeah, okay, the Swedish guy was right. Again… 🙂
The vocals on ‘Way To Love’ capture an emotive weariness, what had been your mindset at the time of recording?
Andrew: Oh, you know, relationships… 🙂 Like, why the f*ck do I get myself into these situations when I know it’ll end in tears?!
There are more prominent guitars than on ‘First Contact’ with ‘The Void’ and ‘Waiting Game’ featuring the talents of Richard Oakes Of SUEDE, how did his involvement come about?
Andrew: Richard is an old friend of mine from the days when the band I was in, GENEVA, was on the same record label as SUEDE. We reconnected about a decade ago when I was working on my solo album with Sean McGhee, who is in the band ARTMAGIC along with Richard. Richard is in Sweden quite often and it was a natural step to invite him to Leo’s studio to play him some tunes and drink a few beers. He was really happy to play on a couple of tracks, and so I guess that confirmed the guitar direction, though we’d already been going there because both Leo and I wanted to broaden the reach of the record and our sound.
As a song, ‘The Void’ really hits a nerve… what was its genesis?
Leo: It began as a sort of soul-inspired track that Andrew was convinced was a winner from the off, whereas I felt it needed more work (I’m usually right 😉 ). I had a vision for it based on Giorgio Moroder-meets-Morricone, with a bit of Phil Spector Wall of Sound too. I had this flash of inspiration and decided to record the voice of one of my daughters, and it led me to produce the track in the way you hear it now.
It’s a sort of angsty, new wave track that was just begging for guitar. Luckily enough Richard loved it and was happy to contribute. He elevated it onto a different plane and it was a brilliant experience watching him play along to it.
Technologically, how has your sound developed since ‘First Contact’? Have there been any new toys brought in?
Leo: During the pandemic I went a bit mad and became obsessed with technical perfection in the studio, and upgraded both my equipment and recording, mixing and mastering skills. I learned a lot, but it was an extremely intense experience (and expensive too!). But I had to go through that process to capture the sorts of sounds I was hearing in my head – more instrumentation, bigger production, a more in-your-face approach that left nothing out. I invested in the Dangerous Music ecosystem (that was a hallelujah! moment) and high-end equipment from Wes Audio and Tegeler Audio. It was crazy, but it was worth it! I’m happy now 🙂
Andrew: I don’t think Leo’s bank manager is very happy, though…
What is ‘Dying On The Vine’ referring to?
Andrew: It’s about social media addiction and people who solely derive their worth from likes and comments online. There’s a bit of a play on words because Vine was that short-lived video promo tool that got swallowed up Twitter and (essentially) spat out again, a bit like people who play the social media game. It’s a mixture of anger and pity and ends up trying to be compassionate for the SoMe obsessive, who’s really the victim at the end of it all. And let’s face it, we’ve all been there…
If you don’t mind me saying, ‘Radio Waves’ has echoes of GENEVA with its chopping strings… coincidental?
Leo: We don’t mind you saying that at all! No, we just wanted to go for a big arena sound that suited the epic nature of the song’s subject matter. And who doesn’t love a good string section?
‘In Over My Head’ eerily has elements of Philip Glass and Jean-Michel Jarre?
Andrew: Thanks. Both of those guys are musical touchstones for us so we’re delighted that you think so! And yes, it’s a bit of an eerie subject matter, I guess, so hopefully it all fits together.
‘Music Since Tomorrow’ works very well as an album experience but do you have any particular favourite tracks for any particular reasons?
Andrew: Thank you! My favourite is ‘In Over My Head’ as it was fun to create, despite the dark subject matter. And I really, really love Leo’s production on it.
Leo: Hey! Now you’re asking me to choose my favourite child and in Sweden that is illegal!! But, if I may divide it into songwriting and production, I am very proud of my production on ‘In Over My Head’ and that I dared to stay with my original idea for the arrangement. ’Closure’, ‘Embrace The Fear’, ‘Visitors’ and ‘Dying On The Vine’ are other personal favourites.
What’s next for UNIFY SEPARATE, will you take this record onto the live stage? Did opening for SUEDE fire you up to do more gigs?
Andrew: Supporting SUEDE was an honour for us, and we have had some interesting enquiries since then. We love playing live and what the SUEDE gig confirmed for us is that we and our music belong on big stages in front of big audiences. We are absolutely ready for taking this album out on the road and we’re always happy to hear from promoters wherever in the world they are.
ELECTRICITY CLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to UNIFY SEPARATE
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