Tape Notes

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In this special bonus episode, John joins Kevin Parker a.k.a. Tame Impala to dive into one more track that didn’t make it into the original conversation.

Just in time for Halloween, Kevin takes us behind the scenes of ‘Dracula’, unpacking the multitude of demos, experiments and early ideas that gradually came together to form the track we know today. Along the way, he reveals how some of the most unexpected elements made their way into the song, including a random percussion instrument that happened to be l...

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John is joined by Troye Sivan and producer Tyde Levi to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘She’s the Best’.

Troye Sivan is an Australian singer-songwriter and producer. He signed with EMI aged just 18 after building a global following as a teen YouTuber. Troye has since released three acclaimed albums blending electropop and dance: ‘Blue Neighbourhood’ (2015), ‘Bloom’ (2018) and the Grammy-nominated ‘Something to Give Each Other’ (2023). His fourth album, ‘She’s the Best’, arrived in October 2026, produced by his brother Tyde Levi among others.

John is joined by Lizzy McAlpine, along with producers Mason Stoops and Taylor Mackall and engineer Omar Akrouche to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Angel’.

Lizzy McAlpine is a singer-songwriter and producer from Pennsylvania.  Having written and recorded music through her teens, in 2020 she released her debut album ‘Give Me a Minute’. She has since released two more critically acclaimed albums: ‘five seconds flat’, featuring the viral hit ‘ceilings’, and ‘Older’, her first collaboration with producers Mason Stoops and Taylor Mackall. Lizzy’s fourth album, ‘Angel’, arrived in September 2026 working once again alongside Mason and Taylor...

John is joined by Giles Martin to talk about how he recorded and produced the album ‘Rubber Soul: New Special Edition’.

Giles Martin is a British composer, producer and arranger. Assisting his father, Beatles producer Sir George Martin, in the studio from an early age, Giles has been closely involved with the Beatles’ catalogue, producing the 50th anniversary remix and deluxe editions of ‘Revolver’, ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and ‘Let It Be’, among many others. ‘Rubber Soul: New Special Edition’, featuring new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes, alongside previously unreleased session recordings and home demos, is released on 2nd October 2026.

S...

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John is joined by Simon Green, aka Bonobo, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Distance in Static’.

Simon Green, aka Bonobo, is a British musician, producer, and DJ, considered one of electronic music’s defining voices. Across eight albums, including the seminal ‘Black Sands’, ‘Migration’ and ‘Fragments’, he has built a celebrated career blending electronic, jazz and organic instrumentation, and received seven Grammy nominations. His latest record, Distance in Static, arrived in September 2026. <...

John is joined by Kevin Parker, aka Tame Impala, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Deadbeat’. 

Kevin launched the electronic and psychedelic rock-influenced Tame Impala in 2007 as a home recording project. Throughout the 2010s, Tame Impala became a huge critical and commercial success, winning two Grammys and selling out shows worldwide. Kevin has collaborated with numerous other artists including Justice, Gorillaz and Dua Lipa, and is regularly cited as one of the industry’s most influential artists. The fifth Tame Impala album, 'Deadbeat', featuring worldwide hits ‘Dracula’ and ‘Loser’, arrived in October 2025. 

Joining Jo...

John is joined by Ed and Tom of Overmono to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Pure Devotion’.

Overmono are Welsh electronic duo Tom and Ed Russell. After solo careers as Truss and Tessela, they began producing together as Overmono in 2015. Known for their energetic, acclaimed live shows, they broke through with Good Lies in 2023. Their second album, Pure Devotion, arrived in 2026, exploring experimental studio recording. 

Sitting down at Strongroom Studios in London, Ed and Tom give John a step by step breakdown of their approach to vocal processing, discuss the plug...

John is joined by Hen and Louis a.k.a. Joy Anonymous, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced a selection of tracks across their back catalog. 

Joy Anonymous formed in 2018 with the aim of spreading joy through music and live performance. Their South Bank pop-up shows during the pandemic brought widespread attention, with recordings from these performances featuring on their debut album ‘Human Again’ (2021). Since then, they have released ‘Cult Classics’ (2023), collaborated with numerous artists, and continued to release new music, including their stripped-back ‘Source’ versions. Their third record is set for release in the coming mo...

John is joined by Charli xcx and producers A. G. Cook and Finn Keane to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Music, Fashion, Film’.

Charli XCX is a British singer, songwriter, producer and actor. Since her debut album ‘True Romance' in 2013, Charli has released a further six records, building a fiercely loyal fanbase while continually pushing the boundaries of pop. In 2024, ‘BRAT’ propelled Charli to a new level of global recognition. The Grammy award-winning album became a cultural phenomenon and cemented her status as one of pop’s defining artists of the decade. She has sinc...

We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Guy and Howard of Disclosure, digging into their 2020 record, 'ENERGY'.

EPISODE NOTES

Chosen from over 200 songs, the Guy and Howard break apart the individual parts and distinct sounds from the handful of tracks that made the cut. The boys take a deep dive into what it takes to make a Disclosure hit, revealing the tricks and tools they use along th...

John is joined by Myles Smith and producer Peter Fenn to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘My Mess, My Heart, My Life’.

Myles Smith is a singer-songwriter from Luton in the UK. Performing at local open mic nights since his teens, he built a loyal fan base and landed a record deal with Sony thanks to cover versions he posted on Tiktok. In 2024, Myles’ single ‘Stargazing’ was a viral hit and has since been streamed over one billion times globally. The momentum of ‘Stargazing’ and other early singles helped establish Myles as one of the UK's mo...

John is joined by Arlo Parks and Baird to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Ambiguous Desire’.

Arlo Parks is an indie-pop singer-songwriter from West London. After uploading demos to BBC Introducing as a teenager, she quickly attracted industry attention. Her debut album, ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’, arrived in 2021, establishing Arlo as one of the defining artists of her generation and earning her the Mercury Prize and two Grammy nominations. Arlo’s third record, the more electronic-focused ‘Ambiguous Desire', was released in April 2026, co-written and produced by Baird, along with additional collaborators Paul Epworth and Sampha.<...

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John is joined by Jack Antonoff of Bleachers to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Everyone for Ten Minutes’. Jack Antonoff is an American producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. As a producer, he’s widely recognised for helping shape the sound of modern pop through his work with artists including Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar and many more. Alongside his production work, Jack has built a hugely successful career as a musician and songwr...

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John is joined by Tom Misch to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Full Circle’. 

Tom Misch is an English singer-songwriter and producer known for his innovative sound, blending hip-hop beats and soulful vocals along with his distinctive guitar style. His self-recorded debut album ‘Geography’ was a UK top ten hit in 2018, followed by ‘What Kinda Music’, released in 2020, with Yussef Dayes. Tom’s second solo album, ‘Full Circle’, arrived in March 2026. 

John is joined by Foo Fighters  to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Your Favorite Toy’.

Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed by Dave Grohl. Known for their alt-rock anthems driven by melody and personality, they have evolved into one of rock’s biggest and most influential bands. Over the past 20 years, they have released twelve studio albums, won fifteen Grammys, and in 2021 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their twelfth studio album, ‘Your Favorite Toy’, arrived in April 2026.

Sitting down at Metropolis Studios in London, Dav...

John is joined by TOMORA to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album COME CLOSER.

TOMORA are an electronic music duo made up of The Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands and AURORA. Both have excelled in their fields: The Chemical Brothers’ ten albums helped define electronic music, while Norwegian artist AURORA’s ethereal songwriting has won her a devoted worldwide following. The duo began collaborating when Aurora featured on The Chemical Brothers’ Grammy Award-winning 2019 album No Geography. In turn, Tom produced parts of AURORA’s What Happened To The Heart? (2024). That led to TOMORA and their debu...

John is joined by Holly Humberstone and Rob Milton to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album Cruel World.

Holly Humberstone is a singer-songwriter from Grantham, England. After early support from BBC Introducing, her debut EP ‘Falling Asleep at the Wheel’ gained widespread attention during the pandemic, earning a BRIT Rising Star win and two Ivor Novello nominations. Her debut album 'Paint My Bedroom Black’, arrived in 2023, and reached the UK top 5, while tours with Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo boosted her global profile. Her second album, Cruel World, was released in April 2026, working with l...

We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Enter Shikari's Rou Reynolds, digging into their 2020 record, 'Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible'.

EPISODE NOTES

In this episode, John catches up with Enter Shikari frontman and producer, Rou Reynolds to breakdown how the band wrote, recorded and produced their new album ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’.  

As the band’s most genre-bending album to date, Rou talks us t...

John sits down with Imogen Heap to talk about how she wrote, recorded and produced the EP IAM _ _ _.

Imogen Heap is a British composer, artist, and producer, widely regarded as a pioneer in electronic pop and music technology. Over the years, her music has evolved from alternative to electronica, producing acclaimed albums such as Speak for Yourself and Ellipse, and collaborating with artists including Taylor Swift and Jon Hopkins. She consistently integrates technology into her practice, developing innovations like the Mi.Mu gloves and Mogen, an AI voice model that plays a central role in her 2025 EP ‘I...

John is joined once again by Fred Gibson, better known as Fred again.., to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album USB.

Fred Gibson is an award-winning British songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer whose musical journey began collaborating with legendary producer Brian Eno at just 16. Since then Fred has established himself as a  globally successful solo artist.

Alongside his studio output, from his acclaimed ‘Actual Life’ trilogy to the record ‘ten days’ Fred’s live shows have become global events, from Glastonbury to arena-scale collaborations, notably alongside FourTet and Skrillex, while his evolving USB project...

In this episode, John is joined by Mumford & Sons and producer Aaron Dessner to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Prizefighter’.

Mumford & Sons are a British folk-rock band made up of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, who rose to global fame with their banjo-driven folk rock, earning BRIT and Grammy success with the records ‘Sigh No More’ and ‘Babel’. Their latest album, ‘Prizefighter', was co-written and co-produced with Aaron Dessner, and features collaborations with Hozier, Gracie Abrams, Gigi Perez and Chris Stapleton, with the band embracing a new creative freedom in the...

John sits down with Danny L Harle to discuss how he wrote, recorded and produced the album Cerulean.

Danny L Harle is a British producer, artist and composer. One of the most sought-after songwriters and producers in music today, he has worked with numerous artists including Caroline Polachek, Florence and the Machine and Dua Lipa. Danny began releasing solo electronic music in 2013 on A.G. Cook’s label PC Music, with his debut album Harlecore arriving in 2021. Cerulean, Danny’s second album, was released in February 2026. Featuring collaborations with Caroline Polachek, PinkPatheress, Clairo, Oklou and others, the albu...

John is joined by English musician, songwriter, producer and DJ Emma-Jean Thackray to talk about how she wrote, recorded and produced the album Weirdo.

Emma-Jean Thackray is a musical polymath whose creative approach was shaped by playing in brass bands as a child in West Yorkshire and studying jazz composition and performance at university. Her 2021 debut album 'Yellow' topped the UK Jazz Albums Chart and won Jazz FM Album of the Year. Her second album, 'Weirdo', followed in 2025 and was nominated for that year’s Mercury Prize. Entirely written, recorded, performed and produced by Emma-Jean, the record ul...

John sits down with Artemas and producer Toby Daintree to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘LOVERCORE’.

Artemas is an English artist and producer. As a teenager he taught himself music production and soon began releasing his dark, alternative pop music, inspired by grunge and new wave sounds. The viral hit ‘if u think i’m pretty’, released in 2024, made him a global star and he released mixtapes ‘pretty’ and ‘yustyna’ the same year. 2024 also saw Artemas’s second viral success with ‘i like the way you kiss me’, which was number one in eight coun...

We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Rina Sawayama and producer Clarence Clarity.

EPISODE NOTES

In this episode, John catches up with Rina Sawayama and producer Clarence Clarity to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Rina’s debut album ‘Sawayama’.  

Diving deep into the almost 100 track sessions, Rina and Clarence reflect on how the album took shape, from writing demos in Rina’s bedr...

In this special Xmas episode, John is joined by Adam Buxton and producer Joe Mount to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album Buckle Up.

Adam Buxton is a podcaster, actor, comedian and musician, best known for his long-running, award-winning Adam Buxton Podcast. Since launching in 2015, he’s become one of the UK’s most popular podcasters, with guests ranging from Paul McCartney to Tom Hanks. He’s also appeared in films including Hot Fuzz and Stardust, and published two acclaimed memoirs. With his popular jingles at the heart of segments on his podcast and mid-20...

John is joined by Haim and producer Rostam Batmanglij to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘I Quit’.

Haim are an American pop-rock band from Los Angeles, made up of multi-instrumentalist sisters Danielle, Este and Alana Haim. Playing together in their family band growing up, they formed Haim in 2007 and released their debut EP, ‘Forever’, in 2012. 

Their debut album, ‘Days Are Gone’, arrived in 2013 and earned them a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Their follow-up records, 2017’s ‘Something to Tell You’ and 2020’s ‘Women in Music Pt. III’, both received widespread critical acclaim, with ‘W...

John is joined by Parcels to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album “LOVED”. 

Parcels are an Australian electropop band consisting of Jules Crommelin, Louie Swain, Noah Hill, Patrick Hetherington and Anatole Serret. After moving from Australia to Berlin, Parcels signed a deal with French label Kitsuné. However, it was their collaboration with seminal dance duo Daft Punk, who produced their 2017 single “Overnight”, that led to their breakthrough. Since then the band have released three studio albums, their self-titled debut in 2018, and the ambitious double LP ‘Day/Night’, in 2021. Parcels’ third album “LOVED”, released in September 2025, draw...

John is joined by Scottish musician and producer Sam Gellaitry.

Described as “your favourite producer’s favourite producer”, Sam’s innovative, genre-blending electronic music and superb production skills have earned him a loyal fan following and industry respect over the past decade. 

Sam signed his first deal, with XL Recordings, at just 18. While early EPs were purely instrumental, Sam started to incorporate his own vocals on fifth EP, IV (2021). The track ‘Assumptions’ from the EP became his biggest hit to date, reaching No. 5 on the US Dance Chart. In 2022, Sam’s collaboration with Pink Pantheress, ‘Picture in my Min...

John is joined by Kae Tempest and Fraser T. Smith to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album “Self-Titled”.

Kae Tempest is an English recording artist and author. He began his career performing at open mic nights around London, quickly gaining a reputation for his powerful lyrical performances blending rap and spoken word poetry. Between 2008 and 2012 he toured internationally with his band Sound of Rum, launching a solo career with debut album ‘Everybody Down’ in 2014. It and second album ‘Let Them Eat Chaos’, released in 2015, were both nominated for the Mercury Prize. Kae has since released three furthe...

John is joined by Hayley Williams and producer Daniel James to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party’. 

Hayley Williams is an American pop-punk and rock musician. She began writing songs in her early teens, signing a deal with Atlantic Records at just 15 years old. The label wanted her to be a solo artist, but Hayley had other ideas, instead forming the band Paramore with three school friends. Paramore released their first album ‘All We Know Is Falling’ when Hayley was still only 16. They quickly built a loyal fanbase as audiences...

John is joined by The Favors, a duo composed of producer/singer-songwriter FINNEAS and singer-songwriter Ashe, to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘The Dream’. 

FINNEAS is a Grammy Award-winning producer best known for his longtime collaboration with his younger sister, Billie Eilish. As her primary producer, songwriter and touring partner, FINNEAS has played a key role in shaping her sound, earning 10 Grammy Awards along the way. Beyond his work with Eilish, Finneas has established himself as a rising alt-pop artist. Ashe began her career singing demos in Nashville before gaining widespread recognition with her viral...

John is joined by Pomplamoose - American indie-jazz duo Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn -  to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘Photogénique’, released in July this year.

The two met while studying at Stanford University and began making music together in early 2008. They first gained widespread attention in late 2009 through their inventive covers of popular songs on YouTube and MySpace, achieving their first viral hit in 2010 with their rendition of Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’. Since then, Pomplamoose have released seven albums, including ‘Tribute to Famous People’ (2010) and ‘Hey, It’s Pomplamoose’ (2016), blending elements of indie pop, rock, and...

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 ‘EU...

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 an...

John is joined by Piers and Kesi of seminal British dance act Rudimental, at Strongroom Studios in London to discuss how they wrote and recorded new album ‘RUDIM3NTAL’.

Rudimental’s three members - Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden and Leon Rolle - started as childhood friends. After releasing their debut album ‘Home’ in 2013, the trio quickly became one of the most influential dance acts of the 21st century. They have amassed billions of streams worldwide, toured extensively and released multiple chart-topping singles including ‘Feel the Love’, ‘Waiting All Night’ and ‘These Days’.

In this episode, the band discuss the e...

John is joined by Djo and producer Adam Thein to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘The Crux’.

Djo, aka Joe Keery, is an American musician and actor. His music career began back in 2014 as a guitarist and drummer in the Chicago psych-rock/garage band ‘Post Animal’. He left to launch a solo career as Djo, balancing music with a starring role in the Netflix global hit ‘Stranger Things’. His first album as Djo, ‘Twenty Twenty’, was released in 2019 and praised by critics for its blend of psychedelic rock and power pop influences. His second album ‘Decide’...

John sits down with Scottish artist, producer and DJ Josh Mainnie, at Baltic Studios, better known as Barry Can’t Swim, and producer O’ Flynn to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘Loner’.

Josh first began releasing under the alias Barry Can’t Swim in 2019, releasing a stream of singles that began attracting attention for their melodic, dance-driven style. In 2023, he released his first full-length album, ‘When Will We Land?’, which became a huge success, earning him nominations for the Mercury Prize and at the BRIT Awards. ‘Loner’ released in July 2025, sees him reflect on his...

John is joined by Lorde and producer Jim-E Stack to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Virgin’.

Lorde, is a singer-songwriter and producer from New Zealand who rose to fame in 2013 with the Grammy winning global hit track ‘Royals’. Her albums 2013’s ‘Pure Heroine’, 2017’s ‘Melodrama’, and 2012's ‘Solar Power’ all showcase her sharp, raw lyrics and sophisticated production . In June 2025, after collaborations with artists including Charli XCX, Lorde released ‘Virgin’. Produced by Jim-E Stack, the record reveals a bold new sound and explores themes of self-discovery and identity.

In this episode, the pair discuss th...

John is joined by Jamie xx, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘In Waves’.

Jamie xx is an English musician, record producer, and DJ. He began his career as part of The xx, whose 2009 debut album ‘xx’ was instrumental in shaping the indie music scene of the 2010s. Jamie’s critically acclaimed solo debut, ‘In Colour’, arrived in 2015, earning both Mercury and Grammy nominations. In 2024, he released ‘In Waves’, a record that captures the emotional highs and hazy afterglow of a night out, blending bliss, heartbreak, and introspection through immersive dance music.

In this epis...