is a solo artist, producer and performer. Part Scot, part Belarusian, her musical creations are equally split with sounds, hooks and melodies from alternative electronic, disco and RnB, whilst the arrangement and lyrics go pop in formation.
It has a real urgency about it but it’s not too imposing or overbearing. So this would keep me alert (along with shit loads of coffee).
you come home from the club?
Joan Armatrading - Love And Affection
Relaxing and thought provoking but works in the background too myes, myes…
you take a bubble bath?
Serge Gainsbourg - Ah! Melody
This makes me feel indulged (but is also pure self indulgence by Monsieur Gainsbourg)! The sparkly guitar melodies and Jane Birkin’s whispery vocals are soothing and warm.
you ride a bicycle?
The Fall - Living Too Late
The groove and rhythm of this track is hardly «Mr. Motivator» pace, but it seems to really work for exercising.
you prepare a candle light dinner?
Ryuichi Sakamoto
I reckon Mr. Ryuichi Sakamoto would set the right mood.
you go to a club?
Q - The Voice Of Q
Oooh, that’s hard. So many. One I am loving getting ready to is «The Voice Of Q».
you cook?
Richard Strauss
I like cooking and music seems to make me more bold and creative with the ingredients (sometimes a bad thing) but I can listen to anything. Last time I cooked, I was listening to Richard Strauss, don't you know. The dinner turned out quite well incase you were wondering!
you prepare for an important date?
Mary Jane Girls - All Night Long
Sexy, but playful and carefree.
you are in a depressive mood?
Alexander Robotnick - Hola Macci Kola
A fine bad mood reverser. But «Dark In My Heart» by Lee Hazlewood is a sure fire-turn-around-when-feeling-down-song.
you want to disturb your neighbours?
Drexciya - Neptune's Lair
Classic, timeless and LOUD electro.
you drive a car late at night?
Kraftwerk - Computer Love
Kraftwerk - Numbers
Purple Flash - We Can Make It
you fall asleep?
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
For years I used to listen to «Selected Ambient Works 85-92». But these days, I’m so shattered when my head hits the pillow, I’m out.
you are love sick?
ESG - Erase You
Roy Orbison - In Dreams
Either strong feminist lyrical action from ESG’s «Erase You» (those women know how to tell a no-good man to fuck off) or something melancholy like «In Dreams». There’s something really magical about Roy’s vocals, they just seem to penetrate the air and leave you feeling empowered. He’s the Don.
you make love?
Sylvia
Jeru The Damaja - Da Bitches
Depends what kind of love I’m making! For slow times, I say anything by Sylvia, and for fast times, I would go as far as «Da Bitches»!
you jump out of a plane with a parachute?
Linkwood - Falling
If Linkwood would let me have a track from his forthcoming album called «Falling» (which I’ve had a sneak preview of), that’d be really appropriate, but failing that… I’d write one called «I’m Turding Myself» by Dollskabeat!
you sit in a plane?
Charlie - Spacer Woman
A forgotten Italian early electronic masterpiece. If I pretend I'm going into space, it takes my mind off the fact that I might die.
you are in the sauna?
When I lived in Tokyo, I frequented these indoor hot baths called Sento. I was the only Gaijin (foreigner) in the place and completely naked, so I felt a bit vulnerable and self conscious sometimes. They used to play this Japanese flute music in the Sento Sauna which was really calming. Can’t tell you the artists’ names though.
you have to spend a night in a spooky hotel?
That actually happened to me once before…no JOKE! I was in a hotel in Paris, my room was freezing and I swear a saw a ghost. I could have done with some supermarket Muzak at that moment. Everyone hates that music, but it actually works on me, it keeps me calm so I can bear it in unnerving situations!
you sit in the subway?
Ultramagnetic MC's - Ego Trippin'
I like to feel invisible on the subway. I spent a year in Japan and you had to really OWN your spot when you could get one, so I used to put on some hip hop.
you wake up?
Arthur Russell - Let's Go Swimming
Even if I can’t be bothered to do that, at least this sunshiny song makes me believe I could.
you need to get work done?
Act - Ping Pong
I can’t listen to music when I’m writing something. But if it’s housework, then it has to be the ultimate super hyperactive alternative French synth wave track of all time: «Ping Pong».
5 favorite animals
all big cats / all primates / bears (all breeds) / dogs / sharks
5 favorite books
Anthony Burgess: «A Clockwork Orange» / William Shakespeare: «Romeo And Juliet» / Albert Camus: «The Outsider» / Lewis Grassic Gibbon: «Sunset Song» / Bram Stoker: «Dracula»
5 favorite cartoon characters
Evil Edna (a wicked television set on a classic British 80’s children’s TV programme) / Long Distance Clara (from «Pigeon Street» – a classic British 1980’s children’s programme) / Willy Fog (a well-to-do Lion from a classic 80’s children’s programme) / Spider Man (I used to fancy the cartoon when I was a child) / Dick Dastardly (from the «Wacky Races»)
5 favorite dishes
Chocolate (all) / home made soup / Thai curry / sunday roast dinner / baked sweet potato
5 favorite English virtues
be brave / be bold / don’t take any shit / eat chips / smoke fags
5 favorite human inventions
the Synthesiser / the tea bag / the coffee maker / the kettle / the cigarette (that’s all you need)
5 favorite instruments
most vintage Roland & Moog analogue synths / drums / piano / strings especially violin / harp
5 favorite movies
«A Clockwork Orange» by Stanley Kubrick / «Blue Velvet» by David Lynch / «Romeo And Juliet» by Franco Zeffirelli / «Hammer House of Horror» by Alan Gibson & Tom Clegg / «Breakfast at Tiffany’s» by Blake Edwards
5 favorite personal belongings
a Gemini necklace my Granny gave me / the funniest cartoon sketch my sister drew about my unenviable living situation in Manchester when I was a student there for a brief time / an old Hacienda tape that I was given a long time ago / a card one of my friend’s drew for me when I got sacked from one of my jobs (it read: “CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING SACKED: POLE DANCING HERE WE COME!!” with a cartoon drawing of me spinning round a pole / a card my boyfriend gave me which made me cry (and I NEVER cry) because it was so nice... aaawww!
5 favorite places in the world
the studio / my kitchen / any nice beach / any good dancefloor / the stage (after a good live set)
5 favorite records
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
Various - BIPPP: French Synth-Wave 1979/85
Serge Gainsbourg - L’Histoire De Melody Nelson
Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading
Supersempfft - I See Stars
José James
you drive a car late at night? Four Tet - Plastic People
are finally back. After their very promising debut they took some time to come back with an album that finally shows the full potential of what Johnny Jewel & co is capable of. Where «In The City» left off ...