“Like An Animal is this nine-minute-long, downbeat, dark song and the first time we played it was at a house party. There were just 40 people in a room who wanted to dance and have a good time. It bombed,” says Neil Gillespie. Yet if one song represents Cymbals fulfilling their original brief of making “organic house music”, Like An Animal is it, even if its structure, tempo and outlook are at odds with their previous output.

 

Formed in 2010, they released an album, Unlearn, within a year. It was the product of a series of sessions in which band members unlearned their crafts and reassembled their talents. So there was a drummer (Sean Prendiville) who’d never really drummed before, a keyboardist (Dan Simmons) more comfortable on the violin, and a singer-guitarist (Jack Cleverly) who “wanted to get away from writing songs on a guitar”. Somehow, though, they ended up producing a record brimming with charm, joy and humour, which quickly gathered a small cult following, thanks to its lyrical beauty and simplicity. Jack describes it now as a “very frustrating record. It’s very punk, we didn’t record to a click, we did nothing to those songs, and it’s got a lot of mistakes on it.”

 

Their second album, Sideways, Sometimes, fleshed out the sound already plotted on Unlearn; scratching, rhythmic guitars, bass momentum fleshed out by melancholy synthesizer work, drumming plotting its course around the back end of the rhythms. Yet they were almost finished while producing it; the boat on which they were recording in the Isle of Dogs came away from its mooring and sank into the mud.

 

Shortly after its release, Sean, strained by drumming, moved to play bass and Neil Gillespie joined on drums, before the former was replaced by Luke Carson. “Sean had always enjoyed writing songs but found drums a nightmare,” Jack explains. “There was a lot of energy, we learnt to write together, he always wanted to do it, but he found playing shows really draining, and he was having a difficult time, personally.”

 

Luke describes the summer after he joined as one of “just drinking, having lunch, playing when we felt like it – it was perfect really.” It might seem strange, then, that such a relaxed period has resulted in the group’s two darkest singles to date – the aforementioned Like an Animal, a downtempo slice of minor key house, and their new single, The Natural World.

 

The latter – an homage to the likes of Ultravox and OMD – starts with an exotic, metallic synth line, before exploding into a poppy chorus, Jack’s voice straining to keep pace. It speaks volumes about the band’s ambition.

 

For Neil, the new songs are “just a little bit slower, less frantic”, which Dan attributes to them being “more relaxed as writers now”. Our conversation then turns to how easy it was for Neil and Luke to slot into the group and, judging by how often they laugh among themselves, it’s clear that Cymbals enjoy hanging out with each other.

 

The Natural World by Cymbals is out now on Tough Love Records

Alpines, Catherine Pockson and Bob Matthews once described their music as “night pop”. With an ethereal, icy blend of vocals over cleverly constructed beats and their nu-goth personal style – Pockson’s ebony hair flowing down to the waist and Matthews’ chiselled cheekbones – this is a band fit for a fairytale.

 

For Pockson and Matthews, “pop” isn’t equated with X-Factor assembly lines, powered by Simon Cowell throwing 100 dollar bills around in his hot tub in Beverley Hills. It is a term that Pockson with her high hitting vocals and Matthews a keyboard and guitar playing maestro, hope to reclaim.

 

“We try to be as creative with it as possible”, says Pockson describing their music. “I am fascinated by the idea that pop doesn’t have to be disposable. Today I danced madly around the bathroom listening to old school classics on Kisstory, which is my favourite hour of radio,” she explains keenly highlighting their music’s varied influences. Their forthcoming album set for release early next year was inspired by a mix of chart toppers to the ancient love story of Odysseus and Penelope.

 

Though Pockson and Matthews were both born and raised in Kingston-Upon-Thames they never met there. Their paths only crossed at a mutual friends wedding, 120 miles west in Bristol. “We were both involved in different musical projects, but one day Catherine started singing over some instrumentals I had made on the side. Before we knew it we had a few songs, and then things just spiralled from there,” recalls Matthews.

 

This year, they supported Florence and the Machine on her 2012 March tour (they met modelling for jewellery designer, Dominic Jones) and their music was used in a video for designer Hannah Marshall. Pockson has also leant her vocals to the latest Maccabees album, Given to the Wild on the track “Unknow.” It is no coincidence that these two should find themselves involved in fashion – they look the part. “I love experimenting with what I wear. I have adopted a love of classic tailoring mixed with bold, gold accessories. It is all about juxtaposition in my style and most things I do,” Pockson explains.

 

O: by Tank invited the pair to star in our video, modelling a selection of AW12’s finest. Watch Alpines in action and listen to their track “Deeper” from their Early Hours EP. Alpinesmusic.blogspot.co.uk

 

Photo by Patricia Reyes

Sweden's Lykke Li made waves in 2008 with Youth Novels' revealing turn, a pin-sharp debut striking a smart balance between sighing, sixties girl pop and jump-rope swagger. Returning with a darker, more direct sound which the singer-songwriter told a recent interviewer was inspired at least in part by 'pussy power', we grabbed five with Li to discuss her new album, Wounded Rhymes, out on February 28.

 

* * *

 

First of all, where was the new record written and recorded?

 

I wrote it in New York, LA and a little in Stockholm. I went back (to Sweden from LA) because I felt I wanted to go back to my roots and play with the people who know me instead of working with some hotshot dude who wants to be in control of everything. We camped out at different studios for a few days at a time and drank red wine and had all these African percussion instruments. It was recorded live, a lot of the songs on the record are first takes. I got two of my girlfriends in singing with me for backing vocals, that was so nice. They're both singers and artists in their own right but it was great, harmonies are really just food for your soul.

 

And you worked again with Björn Yttling (of Peter, Bjorn and John renown)?

 

That's right. I had some other offers but I just couldn't bring myself to find a reason why I shouldn't work with him, I mean I had some talks with people but they didn't say anything interesting.

 

 

Do you see what you do as being fundamentally 'pop' or do you see yourself as operating more in a singer-songwriter mould?

 

Well I mean, what is pop? When I think about the artists of today who are considered pop I don't think I sound like them. But I feel like that's not really for me to say. I can only do what feels right for me. Probably I feel like people would love it if I could make this big pop record, if I started really selling records. Like with the last one, a lot of people downloaded that record, a lot. But I'm not on the charts or anything, even back home.

 

One aspect of Youth Novels which was particularly enjoyable was its minimal approach to arrangement, is tha something you've been keen to pursue with the new record?

 

Yeah, definitely. My whole aesthetic is less-is-more - even the way I dress, everything. And Björn as well, he's from up north in Sweden which is very minimal, there's nothing there!

 

You recently collaborated on a track with Kanye West and seem to go over well with the hip-hop crowd in general, is that something you're proud of?

 

Absolutely. I love hip-hop - (Björn and I) think hip-hop when we make music, I'll be like 'this Lil Wayne song is so dope, how can we get this song to have as much BOOM', you know? (laughs)

 

You've been known to wear the Flavor Flav-style chain onstage as well, right?

 

Yeah... when nobody tells me not to! Sometimes I think I shouldn't be doing those things 'cos I'm not a rapper.

 

 

You've spoken about how you wanted to 'trim the baby fat' with the new record, what did you mean by that?

 

I suppose it's inevitable that people judge you on the way you look and sound, but (with the first record) I felt that was all they judged me by. They couldn't see beyond my baby fat (laughs). Being a young woman they write you off quite easily so I felt like I wanted to be so much more direct, and have like people listen to what I say instead.

 

Are there any contemporary musicians who you feel offer interesting perspectives on sex and gender right now?

 

I like artists like Fever Ray, Beth Ditto and Antony & The Johnsons. People who are playing with different roles, you know?