Tape Notes

Kae Tempest, a powerful spoken-word poet and acclaimed recording artist, teams up with Grammy-winning producer Fraser T. Smith to dive into their collaborative album, Self-Titled. They discuss the joy of building songs using ProTools, the creative chemistry that emerged during their sessions, and the impact of production choices on tracking direction. Kae shares insights on how his various artistic forms influence songwriting, while Fraser offers studio etiquette tips. Their conversation reveals how love and emotion are interwoven into the album’s rich textures.

Hayley Williams, Grammy-winning frontwoman of Paramore, shares insights into her solo album, discussing her unique songwriting journey and vocal choices. She's joined by longtime collaborator Daniel James, who elaborates on the innovative production techniques they employed. They explore how writing for her solo work contrasts with Paramore, the emotional layers added with a child’s voice memo, and the intention behind keeping songs immediate and authentic. Their conversation highlights creative risks and the power of honesty in connecting with fans.

FINNEAS, a Grammy-winning producer and collaborator with Billie Eilish, joins singer-songwriter Ashe, known for her viral hit "Moral of the Story." They discuss their creative process for their album, The Dream, sharing insights on vocal production techniques and the influence of classic musicals like 'The Phantom of the Opera.' They explore their unique approach to recording live, using limited instruments for warmth, and the importance of collaborators. With practical production tips and tales of songwriting dynamics, their camaraderie shines through.

Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn, the talented duo behind Pomplamoose, delve into their latest album, 'Photogénique.' They share the intensive three-year journey of writing and re-recording, highlighting the struggle for artistic authenticity. The conversation touches on their unique vocal production techniques and how AI is influencing their music. Additionally, they discuss gear recommendations and provide insights for emerging artists. Their passion for collaboration shines as they reflect on the balance of individual and collective creativity in their studio process.

John is joined by Irish singer-songwriter CMAT and producer Oli Deakin, to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘EURO-COUNTRY’.  CMAT, aka Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, is best known for her unique blend of country-infused pop music, which often incorporates humour and pop culture references. She released her debut album, ‘If My Wife New I'd Be Dead’, in 2022, produced by longtime friend Oli Deakin. Both it and second album ‘Crazymad, For Me’ were praised for their detailed lyricism. The latter was also nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Ivor Novello Award for Best Album. CMAT’s third album ‘EURO-COUNTRY’ was released on 29th August 2025, with Oli Deakin again on production. It has already garnered rave reviews and given CMAT her first viral Tiktok hit with ‘Take a Sexy Picture of Me’. Sitting down at Platoon Studios in London, the trio discuss how the album was inspired by growing up in Ireland in the Noughties, why CMAT’s phone is her most important instrument, how online trolling inspired her viral hit ‘Take a Sexy Picture of Me’ and why a three-minute ‘perfect’ pop melody can be the most effective way to deliver a hard-hitting political message. Tracks discussed: Billy Byrne From Ballybrack, The Leader of the Pigeon Convoy; EURO-COUNTRY; Take a Sexy Picture of Me; Iceberg TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. Recorded at Platoon Studios LANDR  Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at landr.com/tapenotes MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE LISTEN to ‘EURO-COUNTRY’ here: EURO-COUNTRY by CMAT, AWAL Recordings LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI  GEAR MENTIONS Omnichord Mellotron Casio Keyboard AEA R88 microphone Wurlitzer Neumann M49 microphone OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns. KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Patreon: Tape Notes Instagram: @tapenotes  Discord: Tape Notes X: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   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

John is joined by singer-songwriter and musician Laufey and producer Spencer Stewart to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘A Matter Of Time’. Having performed on numerous national TV singing shows in her youth, Icelandic-Chinese artist Laufey released her first full-length album, ‘Everything I Know About Love’ in 2022. It was praised for seamlessly blending jazz influences with contemporary production. Her second album, ‘Bewitched’, continued this trend with its captivating jazz-pop ballads and earned her the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Laufey met producer Spencer Stewart when they were students at music college in the US and they have been collaborating ever since. Laufey’s much anticipated third album ‘A Matter of Time’ was released on 24th August 2025. Sitting down at Strongroom Studios in London, the trio discuss how creativity often involves breaking formal rules, why the voice is an underrated instrument, the importance of not being a snob when it comes to technology and their belief that when it sounds wrong in the studio, it might just be because you’ve hit on something really original!  Tracks discussed: Lover Girl; Tough Luck; Too Little, Too Late TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit ⁠tape.it/tapenotes⁠ or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. Recorded at ⁠Strongroom Studios⁠ LANDR  Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at ⁠landr.com/tapenotes⁠ MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount⁠ HERE⁠ LISTEN to ⁠‘A Matter of Time’ here⁠ , Vingolf Recordings LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   ⁠linktr.ee/tapenotes ⁠ ⁠Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective⁠ GEAR MENTIONS ⁠Neumann TLM103 ⁠Neumann U67 ⁠ ⁠Shure SM7B ⁠ ⁠Juno-60⁠ ⁠iZotope Ozone⁠ ⁠Echoplex⁠ ⁠Plank of wood⁠ OUR GEAR ⁠https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear⁠ HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on⁠ Patreon⁠, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns. 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 Patreon:⁠ ⁠⁠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

Piers Aggett and Kesi Dryden, members of the British dance group Rudimental, share insights into their creative journey. They discuss the evolution of their sound across five albums, focusing on their latest work, 'RUDIM3NTAL.' The duo reveals how live performances influence their studio recordings and highlights their innovative use of sampling and collaborations. They delve into the process behind tracks like 'Chop Dem Down' and 'Thank You,' emphasizing the blend of inspiration from their roots and cutting-edge production techniques.

Joe Keery, known for his role in 'Stranger Things' and his music project Djo, teams up with Adam Thein, a talented producer and musician. They dive into the creative journey behind their acclaimed album ‘The Crux’. Topics range from the intricate songwriting process and the balance of Joe's acting career with music, to the integration of vintage sounds and modern production techniques. They also share personal stories about the evolution of tracks like 'Delete Ya' and 'Charlie's Garden', highlighting the joys and challenges of collaboration.

Join Josh Maney, known as Barry Can't Swim, a Scottish artist celebrated for his melodic dance tracks, and producer Ben Norris, aka O'Flynn, as they discuss their collaborative work on the album 'Loner.' They delve into the creative process, from sampling sounds found in unexpected places like an Indian restaurant to the balance of styles in tracks like 'Still Riding' and 'Kempton.' Discover their insights on navigating challenges in music production while maintaining creative integrity and exploring the intersection of personal inspiration and collaboration.

Lorde, the celebrated New Zealand singer-songwriter, teams up with American producer Jim-E Stack, known for his innovative collaborations. They delve into the making of Lorde's bold new album, ‘Virgin’, exploring themes of self-discovery and identity. The duo shares insights into their collaborative process, discussing how the lyrics and production inform each other. They also reveal unique production techniques, including crafting a special drum loop, and reflect on the organic evolution of tracks like 'Grown Woman' and 'Shapeshifter'.