Metronomy

Metronomy are a British electronic music group formed in 1999. As the band consists of Joseph Mount (vocals, keyboards and guitar), Oscar Cash (keyboards, backing vocals, guitar and saxophone), Anna Prior (drums and vocals), Olugbenga Adelekan (bass guitar and vocals) and Michael Lovett (keyboards and guitars).[2] Their music consists of vocal and instrumental electronic pop music. Mount also releases remixes under the name Metronomy, and has remixed many artists including Gorillaz, Sebastien Tellier, Roots Manuva, Franz Ferdinand, Klaxons, Goldfrapp, Young Knives, Zero 7, Ladytron, Kate Nash, Lady Gaga and Lykke Li.

Metronomy
Metronomy at Festival SOS 4.8 in Murcia, 2015.
Metronomy at Festival SOS 4.8 in Murcia, 2015.
Background information
OriginTotnes, Devon, England
GenresNu-disco, indietronica, new wave, indie pop, electronic rock, wonky pop[1]
Years active1999–present
LabelsBecause Music, Need Now Future Records, Holiphonic
MembersJoseph Mount
Oscar Cash
Anna Prior
Olugbenga Adelekan
Michael Lovett
Past membersGabriel Stebbing
Websitemetronomy.co.uk

Metronomy have released seven albums of original material, Pip Paine (Pay The £5000 You Owe), Nights Out, The English Riviera,[3] Love Letters, Summer 08, Metronomy Forever, and Small World.

Biography
Metronomy founder and frontman, Joseph Mount

As a teenager, Joseph Mount began Metronomy as a bedroom project while he was still living with his parents in Devon. After having an interest in music from an early age, he "drummed in a few bands at school and they all fell apart. Then I got an old computer off my dad and I started messing around when I was about sixteen or seventeen".[4] The name Metronomy was originally chosen by Mount and was said to be influenced by the band names of Autechre and Funkstörung.[4]

In 2002, Mount moved to Brighton for his studies,[5] while having a number of odd jobs, including one at a local HMV. Upon graduating, he became interested in music production and began "soundtracking animations".[6] During his time in Brighton, Mount began to get involved with electronic music nights and performed as a DJ. At one of these gigs he was approached by "some guy, [who] told me he'd put out a record. It turned out that of the songs I'd recorded, I had an album's worth".[7]

In the autumn of 2005, Metronomy released a debut album, Pip Paine (Pay the £5000 You Owe) preceded by the first single 'You Could Easily Have Me'.[4] After it had received limited attention, Mount began to build up a reputation for live shows. Initially, Metronomy was essentially a laptop/DJ act, although Mount soon asked his cousin Oscar Cash and an old schoolfriend Gabriel Stebbing to join him.[8] Mount explained that "I was doing some shows on my own (...), which was pretty crap, so I thought it would be better to get a band thing going on".[4]

The trio spent the next three years gaining live-experience while Mount recreated mixes for many other artists; contractual issues with the record company halted any new release.[4][9] On remixing, Mount has said "(b)asically, I only like remixers that really care about what they're doing. I can honestly say that I have got really involved in all of my remixes. If I've not got anywhere with one I will tell whoever it is that I'm giving up. That doesn't happen that often."[10] Metronomy has "a good strike rate" in terms of remix work released. However, a DFA-inspired remix of U2's "City of Blinding Lights" was dismissed by their marketing manager and was not released.[11][12]

Although the band was now a three-piece live, in the studio Mount was "still writing and recording it all on my own" and "influenced by people who’ve written, recorded and produced things all on their own, like Prince".[4] In 2008, the band released the singles "My Heart Rate Rapid", "Holiday", "Heartbreaker" (which feat. a Remix by Kris Menace), "A Thing For Me" and "Radio Ladio" and the full album Nights Out in September of that year. Kris Menace's Remix of "Heartbreaker" became Hype Chart Nr.1 in 2008. In May 2009, it was announced through the band's Myspace page that Stebbing would be leaving the band. Joseph wrote "It's all very amicable and he's assured me he doesn't think he's fleeing a sinking ship." Stebbing is currently working with his own band, Your Twenties, which is being produced by Mount. Despite this, Stebbing reappeared to play bass for Metronomy for their appearance at the Far Out stage at Green Man 2010.

In 2011, the band released three singles 'The Look', 'Everything Goes My Way' and 'The Bay' from their 3rd album The English Riviera which came out on 11 April. The album was the first to feature bassist Olugbenga Adelekan and drummer Anna Prior as band members, rounding out the band as a quartet.[13]

On 23 January 2014, Metronomy's upcoming single Love Letters was named Zane Lowe's "Hottest Record in the World". In a telephone interview with the band, it was confirmed that the video would be directed by Michel Gondry. Their fourth studio album, Love Letters, was released on 10 March 2014, with the band achieving their joint highest ever position on the UK Albums Chart, at number 7.[14]

In an interview with Crack Magazine, it was revealed that Metronomy would be releasing a new album in the summer of 2016.[15] The title of the album was later revealed to be Summer 08, with its release scheduled on 1 July 2016.[16] On 13 September 2019, Metronomy released their sixth studio album, Metronomy Forever.[17] Their seventh studio album, Small World, was released on 18 February 2022.[18]

Pre-Metronomy

Before Mount started writing music as Metronomy he, Gabriel and friend Kevin Hawes, who died in 2005, performed and wrote music as part of The Upsides and The Customers.

The Upsides were a band that Joseph and Gabriel joined when still in their early teens. According to Joseph they "played proper original pop songs – we like to think we were the original Busted". The band came to an end when both guys moved to Brighton to start university.

The Customers started out in 1996 as a studio project for Will and Gregg who lived in a neighbouring village to Joseph's and Gabriel's home in Devon, but did not enter its present form until all members had moved from Devon to Sussex. Will worked with Gabriel and played out live under the guise of Willis. The name changed to The Customers on Christmas Day 2001. Joseph joined the band as drummer in 2002 and they welcomed Gregg back into the line-up to complete the four piece.

Live performances
Metronomy live at the Open Source Festival 2015, Düsseldorf

Metronomy have toured widely throughout the UK and Europe supporting acts such as Coldplay, Bloc Party, CSS, Klaxons, Kate Nash and Justice. They engaged in their first headline UK tour in 2008. Metronomy have also played gigs in America and Canada notably at the 2007 SXSW.[19]

Up until April 2009, Joseph Mount's performance of keyboards, vocals, and guitar in the live band was accompanied by members Oscar Cash (keyboards, melodica and saxophone), and Gabriel Stebbing (keyboards and bass guitar). Since Stebbing's departure from Metronomy in 2009 their live set has been known as Metronomy 2.0 and has been highly praised by Stebbing.

Metronomy's new band features former Lightspeed Champion drummer Anna Prior and bassist Olugbenga Adelekan.

Metronomy's live shows include dance routines and light shows. Most notably they use push lights stuck to their chests. Mount explained: "We did our first gig in Brighton, and a few days before I saw these lights in a pound shop and I thought 'we'll whack these on our t-shirts and do some synchronised light shows!' I'm totally aware that some people hate it but equally I think some people enjoy it just for the fact that it's a bit of fun."[4]

Metronomy performed at Field Day music festival in Sydney on New Year's Day 2012[20] and toured the UK in February 2012 with Two Door Cinema Club, Tribes and Azealia Banks on the NME Awards Tour 2012. They also performed at Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona in May 2014, at Rock Werchter in Belgium in June 2014 and at Festival No.6 at Portmeirion, Wales in September 2015.

In June 2022, Metronomy appeared at the Glastonbury Festival.

Discography
Main article: Metronomy discography

Awards and nominations

Antville Music Video Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2009 "A Thing For Me" Most Fun Won
2011 "The Bay" Best Editing Won
"She Wants" Best Choreography Nominated
Themselves Best Commissioning Artist Won
2014 Won

D&AD Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2012 "The Bay" Music Video Wood Pencil

Mercury Prize

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2011 The English Riviera Album of the Year Nominated

NME Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2012 "The Bay" Best Dancefloor Filler Nominated
2015 "Love Letters" Nominated

Rober Awards Music Poll

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2011 Themselves Best Pop Artist Won

UK Music Video Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2009 "A Thing For Me" Best Dance Video Nominated
2011 "The Bay" Best Indie/Rock Video (UK) Nominated
Best Editing Nominated
Best Telecine Nominated
2014 Themselves Best Video Artist Nominated
"I'm Aquarius" Best Art Direction Nominated
"Love Letters" Nominated
Best Pop Video (UK) Nominated
"Reservoir" Best Animation Nominated
Best Alternative Video (UK) Nominated
2016 "Old Skool" Nominated
Best Styling Nominated
2017 "Hang Me Out to Dry" (ft. Robyn) Best Alternative Video (UK) Nominated

References
  1. Polk, Leilani (17 February 2020). "Metronomy Bring Their Wonky Dance-Pop to the Showbox Tonight". The Stranger. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  2. "Metronomy". musicOMH. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  3. "Music – Review of Metronomy – The English Riviera". BBC. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  4. "Metronomy « Loud and Quiet". Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016. Stuart Stubbs, 'Interview: Metronomy', Loud and Quiet Magazine, May 2008 (vol. 2).
  5. "Factmag" Angus Finlayson, 'On Record: Metronomy’s Joe Mount hails Outkast’s "ridiculously inspirational" Speakerboxx/The Love', Fact Magazine, 28 August 2012.
  6. "Chic alors: On the Phone: Joseph Mount, the mouth of Metronomy". Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  7. "Clash Brighton" Tristan Parker, 'Metronomy's Guide To Brighton', Clash Music, 18 November 2009.
  8. "Argus interview 2011" Duncan Hall, 'Metronomy, Digital, Brighton', The Argus, 15 April 2011.
  9. "Absolutely Free Web Based Magazine". Egigid.co.uk. 19 March 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  10. "Planet Notion – Metronomy Interview". 3 July 2008. Archived from the original on 3 July 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  11. "triple j music news: Metronomy on Australian tour and remixing U2". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  12. "MORE CRUNK PLEASE – Metronomy Remixes For Love and Money – Vice Magazine". Viceland.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  13. "Metronomy: The English Riviera | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. 19 April 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  14. "Metronomy | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  15. "Metronomy: Rose-tinted Rave". Crack Magazine, Crack Industries Ltd. 3 May 2016.
  16. "Metronomy". BBC Radio 1. BBC. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  17. Minsker, Evan (19 June 2019). "Metronomy Announce New Album Metronomy Forever, Share New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  18. "Metronomy – 'Small World' review: the songwriting shines as brightly as ever". NME. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  19. "Metronomy | Interview: Metronomy go all Zooroper on Claire Kember | Music Towers". 13 July 2007. Archived from the original on 13 July 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  20. "Coming Up: Field Day 2012". Fuzzy.com.au. 29 September 2011. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
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