Tape Notes

In this episode, John ventures over to Alt-J’s band studio to chat with Joe, Gus and producer Charlie Andrew about how they wrote, recorded and produced their new album ‘The Dream’. Unearthing early demos and some very special voice notes, the trio look back on forming the sonic world encapsulated within the record, reflecting on the importance of their individual roles within the writing process along with the fundamental stories behind each track. From serendipitous church bells to missions of sneaking in old album references, we hear about the intricacies of the kit key to the band’s sound, as well as the little details within each track you won't discover on a first listen. Listen to find out why Mexican Coke tastes better than American Coke, what a sausage bassoon is, and how to get the best results when recording next to a dance class and a polling station. Tracks discussed: Bane, The Actor, Get Better   Listen to ‘The Dream’ here. ‘The Dream’ - Infectious Music, BMG   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    GEAR MENTIONS Vox AC30 Electro Harmonix POG Pedal Casio Casiotone Larrivee PO-5 Roland RE-20 Space Echo Neumann U87 Neumann TLM 103   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    TAPE NOTES TEAM Will Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & Editor Tim Adam-Smith - Executive Producer Will Lyons - Editor Rebecca Ibbotson - Digital Marketing  Nathan Hetherington - PR Alex Nixon - Assistant

21 Feb 20222h

In this episode, John heads over to Bastille’s West London HQ to catch up with Dan Smith and producer Mark Crew about how the band wrote, recorded and produced their latest album ‘Give Me The Future’. Having written most of the tracks in remote lockdown sessions, Dan takes us all the way back through his initial ideas and the random voice notes of inspiration that came to him at the most unexpected times. As well as sharing their thoughts on the challenges that come with writing a sci-fi concept album and blending them with the usual Bastille ‘bread and butter’, the pair pull apart the intricate production techniques they used in an attempt to recreate the musical characteristics of the 80s. Listen to find out how the band’s touring crew ended up recording BVs, what is and isn’t considered tasteful when mixing in Dolby Atmos, and what genres are generally pretty dangerous to let a bassist loose on.   Tracks discussed: Thelma + Louise, Back To The Future, Future Holds   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to ‘Give Me The Future’ here. ‘Give Me The Future’ - EMI/Virgin Records   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective   GEAR MENTIONS Teenage Engineering OP1 LinnDrum Roland Juno  Moog Antares Auto-Tune Antares Harmony Engine Soundtoys Alter Boy Sugar Bytes Effectrix Plugin TAL-Chorus-LX Universal Audio LA-610 Telefunken AK-47 Dolby Atmos Splice Logic Pro   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    TAPE NOTES TEAM Will Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & Editor Tim Adam-Smith - Executive Producer Will Lyons - Editor Rebecca Ibbotson - Digital Marketing  Nathan Hetherington - PR Alex Nixon - Assistant

14 Feb 20221h 56min

Find out more about Tape It and redeem 50% off any Pro plan - tape.it/tapenotes ------------------------------ Welcome to part two of the Best Of Season 9. We pick up where we left off, looking back and pulling out our selection of highlights and memorable moments from the season.  If you haven’t heard every episode from season 9, this is a good way to introduce yourself to more of the guests we’ve had on and hear some of their top studio tips, unique writing processes, along with the thoughts and philosophies that shape their musical worlds.   You’ll hear highlights from:  CHVRCHES Orla Gartland with Tom Stafford Courtney Barnett & Stella Mozgawa Jon Hopkins Chet Faker Hiatus Kaiyote   Listen to the albums featured this season with the links below. CHVRCHES - ‘Screen Violence’ Orla Gartland - ‘Woman on the Internet’ Courtney Barnett - ‘Things Take Time, Take Time’ Jon Hopkins - ‘Music For Psychedelic Therapy’ Chet Faker - ‘Hotel Surrender’ Hiatus Kaiyote - ‘Mood Valiant’   INTRO MUSIC Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk - http://www.tapenotes.co.uk    ‘Screen Violence’ - EMI, Virgin Records ‘Woman on the Internet’ - New Friends Music ‘Things Take Time, Take Time’ - Marathon Artists ‘Music For Psychedelic Therapy’ - Domino Recordings ‘Hotel Surrender’ - Detail Records, BMG (Australia) ‘Mood Valiant’ - Brainfeeder   TAPE NOTES TEAM Will Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & Editor Tim Adam-Smith - Executive Producer Will Lyons - Editor Rebecca Ibbotson - Digital Marketing  Nathan Hetherington - PR Alex Nixon - Assistant

10 Feb 202247min

Season 9 has been so full of amazing albums that we’ve decided to split this Best Of into two parts. Welcome to Part One! In this episode, we look back across the season picking out a selection of highlights from our conversations with the artists and producers we were lucky enough to speak to. If you haven’t heard every episode from the last season, this is a good way to introduce yourself to some of the guests we’ve had on and hear some of their top studio tips, unique writing processes, along with the thoughts and philosophies that shape their musical worlds.   You’ll hear highlights from:  Maisie Peters & Joe Rubel James Vincent McMorrow with Paul Epworth & Lil Silva Imagine Dragons Jungle Mr Jukes & Barney Artist Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes   Listen to the albums featured this season with the links below. Maisie Peters - ‘You Signed Up For This’  James Vincent McMorrow - ‘Grapefruit Season’  Imagine Dragons - ‘Mercury - Act 1’ Jungle - ‘Loving In Stereo’ Mr Jukes & Barney Artist - ‘The Locket’  Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - ‘Sticky’   INTRO MUSIC Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk - http://www.tapenotes.co.uk    ‘You Signed Up For This’ - Warner Music, Asylum Records, Gingerbread Man Records  'Grapefruit Season' - Sony Music Entertainment UK ‘Mercury - Act One’ - Interscope Records, KIDinaKORNER  ‘Loving In Stereo’ - Caiola Records, AWAL Recordings Ltd ‘The Locket’ - Locket Records, Virgin Music ‘Sticky’ - International Death Cult, AWAL Recordings Ltd   TAPE NOTES TEAM Will Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & Editor Tim Adam-Smith - Executive Producer Will Lyons - Editor Rebecca Ibbotson - Digital Marketing  Nathan Hetherington - PR Alex Nixon - Assistant

8 Feb 202239min

In this episode, John links up with Simon, Perrin and Bender of Hiatus Kaiyote, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Mood Valiant’. Having written the album across the globe, from Rio De Janeiro to Byron Bay, the trio reflect on the development of their writing process, discussing how the effects of taking road-hardened demos to South America pushed their creativity into unfamiliar territory. Unearthing some unheard recordings dating back to the mid-2010s, we are given a rundown of some of the key moments of the band’s career, along with an in-depth look at some of the joys that come with getting things down on wonky quarter-inch tape and rekindling a friendship with an honorary fifth member, the Korg VC-10. Listen to find out how to tackle shin cramps whilst playing a Steinway piano in a session, what happens when you combine delicate Colombian flutes with challenging rhythmic danceable beats, and how much the band enjoys the compression of audio on an Instagram story.   Tracks discussed: Rose Water, All The Words We Don’t Say, Get Sun   Listen to ‘Mood Valiant’ here. ‘Mood Valiant’ - Brainfeeder   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    GEAR MENTIONS Korg VC10 Korg Kronos Korg MonoPoly Neve 1073 Channel Strip Roland JX-8P Roland Space Echo 201 Roland Space Echo 301 Roland Space Echo 501 Roland Space Echo 555 Neumann Mics Carvin PA/Mixer   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear   HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    TAPE NOTES TEAM Will Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & Editor Tim Adam-Smith - Executive Producer Will Lyons - Editor Rebecca Ibbotson - Digital Marketing  Nathan Hetherington - PR Alex Nixon - Assistant

8 Des 20211h 36min

In this episode, John links up with Chet Faker aka Nick Murphy, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Hotel Surrender’. Diving into the tracks initially found within one of his numerous demo playlists, Nick looks back on his variety of music making processes, sharing thoughts on slingshotting around different creative mediums and maximising inspiration. From scrapbooking and self-sampling to a great deal of file management, we’re treated to stories of productivity-inducing gear limitations and tricks to get strange harmonic options, all alongside advice on putting music out, taking criticism and simply being the best you can be.   Listen to find out how many cowboy monologues were recorded for the album, why you shouldn’t rollerblade in music videos, and how to appropriately react when you’re given Ableton and not Acid Loop Pro.    Tracks discussed: Oh Me Oh My, Low, Feel Good    Listen to ‘Hotel Surrender’ here. ‘Hotel Surrender’ - Detail Records, BMG (Australia)   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes   GEAR MENTIONS Waves Doppler Plugin Soundtoys Little Plate Novation SL Synth Korg Kaoss Pad Roland CR-8000 Elka Synthex Akai MPC Live II Neumann U87 Electret Microphone API Preamp Elektron Analog Heat Bricasti M7 Reverb Fender Telecaster Rhodes Moog Neve Desk Acid Loop Pro Ableton   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    TAPE NOTES TEAM Will Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & Editor Tim Adam-Smith - Executive Producer Will Lyons - Editor Rebecca Ibbotson - Digital Marketing  Nathan Hetherington - PR Alex Nixon - Assistant

1 Des 20211h 50min

Thanks to SoundBetter for supporting this episode of Tape Notes. SoundBetter is the world's leading music production talent marketplace, giving you access to the best mixing & mastering engineers, singers, songwriters, producers, and studio musicians in the industry. You can work with Billie Eilish's drummer, U2's mix engineer, or hire the topliners that wrote on the latest BTS record, these pros are keen to work with Indy artists. Head to SoundBetter.com to find out more. In this episode, John is joined by Jon Hopkins at Iguana Studios to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced his latest album ‘Music For Psychedelic Therapy’. Engaging us in the album’s immersive journey, Jon talks us through the spaces and natural processing that shaped the sound of the record, from the depths of an Ecuadorian Cave to the vintage synths recorded in the woods. Unearthing the individual parts and gradual sonic changes, we hear Jon's outlook on following intuition, responding to ‘bolt of lightning’ ideas and insane bursts of creativity, all tied together with thoughts on consciousness and the links between sound and mind. Listen to find out how a cheap plugin fault ended up creating the perfect sound, why it is so important to create interest in different frequency groups, and what moment was inspired by a scene from Crocodile Dundee Two. Tracks discussed: Welcome, Love Flows Over Us In Prismatic Waves, Deep In the Glowing Heart   Listen to ‘Music For Psychedelic Therapy’ here. ‘Music For Psychedelic Therapy’ - Domino Recordings   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    GEAR MENTIONS Michael Pollan - This Is Your Mind On Plants Bose Soundlink JBL Speakers Moog One Korg Trinity  Ensoniq Fizmo  Oktava Microphones API Preamp Soundtoys Echoboy Audio Ease Altiverb Waves Renaissance Reverb Plugin Waves PuigTec EQ Yamaha Upright Piano Ableton Ableton Vocoder   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    TAPE NOTES TEAM Will Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & Editor Tim Adam-Smith - Executive Producer Will Lyons - Editor Rebecca Ibbotson - Digital Marketing  Nathan Hetherington - PR Alex Nixon - Assistant

23 Nov 20211h 46min

In this episode, John links up with Courtney Barnett and producer Stella Mozgawa to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Courtney’s album ‘Things Take Time, Take Time’. Ready with the keys to Courtney’s archive of sofa voice notes and Garageband demos, the pair talk us through the entire album process, from their most valuable moments within pre-production, to the hours in the studio where they had to check if they were losing their minds. Sharing the secrets of the sonics, we hear stories of creating cavernous brass sounds using only a guitar and making fake shakers out of drums, all of which are set alongside the eternal loops sourced from the depths of Stella’s drum machine collection. Listen to find out how to trick yourself into doing the perfect vocal take, what the best state of mind is to help get ideas flowing, and why producing is far from being a dark art.   Tracks discussed: Turning Green, Here’s The Thing, Oh The Night Listen to ‘Things Take Time, Take Time’ here. ‘Things Take Time, Take Time’ - Marathon Artists   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes   GEAR MENTIONS Roland TR-606 Roland TR-707 Elektron Analog Rhythm MXR Drum Computer Roland TR-8S Roland CR-8000 Ace Tone Drum Machine FunkBox Drum Machine MPC Sampler Eventide H3000 Eventide H910 Soundtoys Alter Boy Shure SM7B Shure SM57 Korg Minilogue Maton Acoustic Guitar Omnichord Nylon String Guitar (From Mannys Music) KRK Studio Monitors Leslie Speaker Studer 24-inch Tape Machine Garageband ProTools Ableton   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    TAPE NOTES TEAM Will Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & Editor Tim Adam-Smith - Executive Producer Will Lyons - Editor Rebecca Ibbotson - Digital Marketing  Nathan Hetherington - PR

16 Nov 20211h 58min