FEATURE: Metronomy

“… you really have to have variety if you want to stay sane.”

If you’re a fan of Metronomy, you’re a fan for life.

Who knows the exact formula that induces the kind of loyalty one has for creator Joseph Mount and his continually transforming live band since the project commenced in Devon, England, in 1999, but with the release of their third studio album, The English Riviera, they should start to enjoy the pop royalty status they deserve.

From their electronic beginnings with the underground DIY debut, Pip Paine (Pay the £5000 You Owe), through to the quirky electronic-pop of Nights Out in 2008, The English Riviera sees Metronomy morph once again to deliver subtle pop brilliance.

“I guess that’s the thing about the way the new album sounds. Joe (Joseph Mount) likes to have clear shifts between albums and to try different things to keep things interesting in terms of playing it live,” bass player Gbenga Adelekan said from Copenhagen, where the band had a show that night.

“The thing people might not necessarily think about is that we’re now going to play the songs 100 times. A song like The Look, as soon as people heard it it became a classic addition to the body of Metronomy songs that people love to see when they come to a gig.

“So it’s like we’re now going to play that song for the rest of the time Metronomy play live, most probably. From that perspective, you really have to have variety if you want to stay sane.”

When he’s not leading Metronomy, Mount keeps busy working with UK pop outfits such as Girls Aloud and Sophie Ellis-Bextor as well as British hip-hop legend Roots Manuva.

He’s also made remixes for too many artists to mention. While Mount takes care of the songwriting and production side of Metronomy, all four members play equal roles in the live shows, where band members wear, on their chests, lights synchronised with the music.

The band has toured Australia three times (including one Perth visit) and plan to come back at the end of the year. Adelekan revealed which songs from The English Riviera were going off live.

“Love Underlined,” he began. “I think a lot of people who hear the recorded version first are surprised how much it explodes when we play it live. Corinne is understated on the album but live it’s got a real punk-y feel to it.

“We Broke Free is fun too because it has quite a big freak-out at the end and I’m partial to distortion and lots of noise. I like that there’s a place for that in the set as well as all the cool synth-y stuff.

“Oscar (Cash, keyboardist) designed a new lighting system — it’s all very technical. We met a guy in London who’s a lighting engineer and he basically worked on designing this little module by Oscar’s feet which he uses to control them. So they (the chest lights) look like they are going off automatically but it’s actually Oscar while he is playing.

“By the time we come back to Australia, there may be a Mark III version. It’s just a question of having the budget and the time to work it out.”
RACHEL DAVISON

THE PLUG The English Riviera is out now.