Tape Notes

John sits down with Scottish artist, producer and DJ Josh Mainnie, at Baltic Studios [https://www.baltic.com/], 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 newfound fame and place in the industry, whilst maintaining his signature high energy beats and captivating soundscapes. Sitting down with Josh, and later with collaborator O’Flynn, the conversation dives into the album-making process. They explore Josh’s sampling techniques, the ideal mindset and headspace for creating great music, and the stories behind capturing sounds from unexpected places, like the toilets of an Indian restaurant, and turning them into tracks. Tracks discussed: Still Riding, Wandering Mt. Moon, Kimpton TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes [https://tape.it/tapenotes] or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. Recorded at Baltic Studios [https://www.baltic.com/] LANDR  Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at landr.com/tapenotes [http://landr.com/tapenotes] MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE [https://musiversal.com/partners/tape-notes] LISTEN to ‘Loner [https://lynkify.in/album/virgin/wuWmkwlQ%E2%81%A0%C2%A0]’ here ‘Ninja Tune’ LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  [https://www.linktr.ee/tapenotes] Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI [https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI]  GEAR MENTIONS Oek Sound Soothe 2 [https://geni.us/94ofA6B] Cable Guys Snap Back [https://geni.us/5hxvoI] XLN Audio Life Plugin [https://geni.us/5H34U5o] Slate & Ash Cycles [https://geni.us/vn1Rq] Slate & Ash Auras [https://geni.us/nDGqNk] Arturia Mini V [https://geni.us/m0xi] Arturia Beatstep Pro [https://geni.us/tgi9EJ6] Arturia Prophet [https://geni.us/Q75g] Xfer Serum Synth [https://geni.us/tFdDtHP] Spectrasonics Keyscape Double Felt [https://geni.us/Jhm9O] Valhalla Plugins  [https://geni.us/0AAj1] Make Noise Morphogene [https://geni.us/7l0ot] Korg Kaoss Pad [https://geni.us/Xdfmdt5] Prophet Synth [https://geni.us/JfKzAJW] Korg MS-20 [https://geni.us/lRn3] Korg M1 [https://geni.us/GnnNmU8] Splice [https://geni.us/dpTgsB] Ableton Prehistoric VHS (Wavetable Preset) [https://geni.us/lnrF] Ableton Granulator [https://geni.us/IE4d] Ableton EQ [%20%E2%81%A0https://geni.us/vspNtJ] Ableton Plugins [%20%E2%81%A0https://geni.us/J2Nyp] Ableton [https://geni.us/tMpiD] Logic Pro X [https://geni.us/X5RxJ] OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear [https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear] HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes], where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns. KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes [https://instagram.com/tapenotes?igshid=1ltiycavj644n]  Twitter: @tapenotes [https://twitter.com/TapeNotes?s=20]  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast [https://www.facebook.com/tapenotespodcast/]   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/c/TapeNotesPodcast] Discord: Tape Notes [https://discord.gg/tapenotes] Patreon: https://discord.gg/tapenotesTape Notes [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes] To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk [http://www.tapenotes.co.uk]

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 the subtle changes made in the development of each track. As well as sharing numerous voice notes and demos, they talk through how the lyrics and production informed each other, the importance of muting and stripping songs back, with deep rooted percussion at the music’s core. Tracks discussed: Favourite Daughter, GRWN, Shapeshifter TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes [https://tape.it/tapenotes] or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. LANDR  Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at landr.com/tapenotes [http://landr.com/tapenotes] MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE [https://musiversal.com/partners/tape-notes] LISTEN to ‘Virgin’ here - https://lynkify.in/album/virgin/wuWmkwlQ [https://lynkify.in/album/virgin/wuWmkwlQ]  ‘Universal Music’ LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  [https://www.linktr.ee/tapenotes] Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI [https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI]  GEAR MENTIONS Soundtoys Decapiator [https://geni.us/pPArH] Soundtoys Devil-Loc [https://geni.us/tfQIUiN] Soundtoys FilterFreak [https://geni.us/X6uk] FabFilter Pro Q [https://geni.us/d8KG] Decimort [https://geni.us/r2RmS] Waves Soundshift [https://geni.us/rRJ32] Waves RVox [https://geni.us/pyPqmyM] Waves SSL Compressor [https://geni.us/SPKJ0YO] Kontakt Strings [https://geni.us/alm6] OTT [https://geni.us/6DeHq] Goodhertz Lossy [https://geni.us/cJOqGn] Korg PolySix [https://geni.us/xH74n] Shure SM7 [https://geni.us/iGLQDzQ] Moog Rogue [https://geni.us/hbNLDTz] Thermionic Culture Vulture [https://geni.us/aQTC] API 550 EQ [https://geni.us/RLhANN] Neve 1073 [https://geni.us/yzMEu] Neumann U47 [https://geni.us/xMdSWBZ] CL-1B Compressor [https://geni.us/EXr77mB] Roland Juno [https://geni.us/tEKxqpC] AMS DMX Unit [https://geni.us/15dqSJ] Telefunken 251 Mic [https://geni.us/Tr3stp5] CR 8000 Drum Machine [https://geni.us/QUXO] Roland VG-8 [https://geni.us/1KGo3Tx] Teenage Engineering OP-1 [https://geni.us/dg6C9] OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear [https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear] HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes], where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns. KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes [https://instagram.com/tapenotes?igshid=1ltiycavj644n]  Twitter: @tapenotes [https://twitter.com/TapeNotes?s=20]  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast [https://www.facebook.com/tapenotespodcast/]   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/c/TapeNotesPodcast] Discord: Tape Notes [https://discord.gg/tapenotes] Patreon: https://discord.gg/tapenotesTape Notes [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes] To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk [http://www.tapenotes.co.uk]

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 episode, Jamie reflects on the years-long journey of creating ‘In Waves’. As well as discussing where his initial moments of inspiration came from, he talks through his approach to sampling, how he balances analog synths with a Logic-based workflow, and the plugins that have become essential to crafting his distinctive sound. Tracks discussed: Breather, Dafodil, Life TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes [https://tape.it/tapenotes] or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. LANDR  Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at landr.com/tapenotes [http://landr.com/tapenotes] TRINITY LABAN  Find out more about Trinity Laban's Songwriting MA here. [https://geni.us/S0AX] MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE [https://musiversal.com/partners/tape-notes] LISTEN to ‘In Waves’ [https://lynkify.in/album/in-waves/fLVDmeuP%E2%81%A0%C2%A0]here ‘Young’ LISTEN to ‘Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go’ [https://lynkify.in/album/never-gonna-let-you-go/ygKeLpwl%E2%81%A0%C2%A0]here. ‘RCA Records, Sony’ LISTEN to ‘Cerrone - The House of the Rising Sun Revelacion Suite’ [https://lynkify.in/song/the-house-of-the-rising-sun-revelacion-suite/zaJ8Sxty%E2%81%A0%C2%A0]here. ‘Because’ LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  [https://www.linktr.ee/tapenotes] Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective. [https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI%E2%81%A0%C2%A0] GEAR MENTIONS Soundtoys Crystallizer [https://geni.us/JG8GQsH] Zynaptiq Morph [https://geni.us/BqAogT] Output Thermal [https://geni.us/AB1CvNM] Roland TR-808 [https://geni.us/sjA04] XLN Audio XO [https://geni.us/29dpUI0%E2%81%A0%C2%A0] Serum [https://geni.us/8yBnSJV] Sonar Works Sound ID Reference [https://geni.us/QRguGI3] Roland Space Echo [https://geni.us/qRzQ] Oberheim 8 Voice [https://geni.us/1MncJMC] Korg Delta [https://geni.us/czT8k] Isla Drum Machine [https://geni.us/HdBlz] Akai MPC 1000 [https://geni.us/u1Wy] Tascam 8 Track [https://geni.us/RmPEZbn] Logic ES 2 [https://geni.us/LVbIvV] Logic Phaser [https://geni.us/Tw6amOX] Logic Drum Sampler [https://geni.us/Qefsty] Logic Pro X [https://geni.us/X5RxJ] Garageband [https://geni.us/IObbA] OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear [https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear] HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes], where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns. KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes [https://instagram.com/tapenotes?igshid=1ltiycavj644n]  Twitter: @tapenotes [https://twitter.com/TapeNotes?s=20]  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast [https://www.facebook.com/tapenotespodcast/]   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/c/TapeNotesPodcast] Discord: Tape Notes [https://discord.gg/tapenotes] Patreon: https://discord.gg/tapenotesTape Notes [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes] To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk [http://www.tapenotes.co.uk] TAPE NOTES TEAM John Kennedy Will Brown  Tim Adam-Smith  Will Lyons  Nico Varanese  Guy Nicholls  Jessica Clucas Ali Lewis Evan Lawday Francis Hartgrove

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 Caribou, Dan Snaith, all the way back in Summer 2020. EPISODE NOTES In this episode John links up with Caribou a.k.a. Dan Snaith, to breakdown how Suddenly -  his first release in five years - was written, recorded and produced.  Diving deep into his hard drive Dan treats us to a plethora of demo versions, track breakdowns and even plays us a few nuggets live. We get to hear the philosophy and stories behind creating his most personal album yet and discover how he reduced a monumental 900 ideas down to a single record.  Listen to hear the results of when Dan was let loose in Floating Points' Studio, how leaving his internet browser open while recording provided a moment of compositional serendipity, and why the title of this podcast could well have been 'Things I learned from Timberland'.    Songs Discussed: Magpie, Like I Love You, Sister  TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit ⁠tape.it/tapenotes⁠ [https://tape.it/tapenotes] or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. LANDR  Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at ⁠landr.com/tapenotes⁠ [http://landr.com/tapenotes] TRINITY LABAN  Find out more about⁠ Trinity Laban's Songwriting MA here.⁠ [https://geni.us/S0AX] MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount⁠ HERE [https://musiversal.com/partners/tape-notes]   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes [https://linktr.ee/tapenotes]    Listen to 'Suddenly' here. [https://songwhip.com/caribou/suddenly] 'Suddenly' - City Slang Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  [https://songwhip.com/laurelcollective/sunshinebuddy%20] GEAR MENTIONS API Lunchbox [https://geni.us/qRVwd] Arp 2600 [https://geni.us/CjHe0oE] ARP Rhodes Chroma [https://www.rhodeschroma.com/] Rhodes [https://reverb.com/uk/brand/rhodes] Flea 47 [https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/flea-47] Native Instruments Reaktor [https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/reaktor-6/] Spectrasonics Omnisphere [https://geni.us/jn1lCpX] Spectrasonics Trilian [https://geni.us/imku5B] Synthesis Technology - E370 Quad Morphing VCO [https://synthtech.com/eurorack/E370/] ToneBoosters Reelbus [https://www.toneboosters.com/tb_reelbus_v4.html] Universal Audio 1176 Compressor [https://geni.us/I6wrb8] Waves MondoMod [https://geni.us/VeRY] Yamaha CS-70 [https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/contents/music_production/synth_chronology/modal/modal_cs-70m.htm] OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear [https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear] HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes], where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns. KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes [https://instagram.com/tapenotes?igshid=1ltiycavj644n]  Twitter: @tapenotes [https://twitter.com/TapeNotes?s=20]  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast [https://www.facebook.com/tapenotespodcast/]   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/c/TapeNotesPodcast] Discord: Tape Notes [https://discord.gg/tapenotes] Patreon: https://discord.gg/tapenotesTape Notes [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes] To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk [http://www.tapenotes.co.uk/] TAPE NOTES TEAM John Kennedy Will Brown  Tim Adam-Smith  Will Lyons  Nico Varanese  Guy Nicholls  Jessica Clucas Ali Lewis

John is joined by Nicolas Godin, one half of the French electronic duo Air, to explore how they wrote, recorded, and produced their iconic debut album, Moon Safari. Formed in 1995 by Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, Air rose to global fame with ‘Moon Safari’ in 1998, a critically acclaimed, genre-defining album that helped elevate French pop and inspired a generation of down-tempo electronic music. In 2025, the duo marked its 25th anniversary with Blue Moon Safari, a bold reinterpretation by British producer Vegyn. In this episode, Nico shares the story behind ‘Moon Safari', sharing how each track came to life, the creative choices that shaped the album, and the instruments and techniques that defined the iconic Air sound. Tracks discussed: Sexy Boy, La Femme d’argent, Talisman, Kelly Watch the Stars TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes [https://tape.it/tapenotes] or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. LANDR  Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at landr.com/tapenotes [http://landr.com/tapenotes] TRINITY LABAN  Find out more about Trinity Laban's Songwriting MA here. [https://geni.us/S0AX] MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE [https://musiversal.com/partners/tape-notes] LISTEN to ‘Moon Safari’ here - https://lynkify.in/album/moon-safari/xYXmfb0a [https://lynkify.in/album/moon-safari/xYXmfb0a]  ‘Parlophone’ LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  [https://www.linktr.ee/tapenotes] Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI [https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI]  GEAR MENTIONS AKG C414 [https://geni.us/6PtI2Pg] Talk Box [https://geni.us/AJXSGE] Leslie Cabin [https://geni.us/jm1nUe] Moog Minimoog [https://geni.us/gD6JF] Korg MS20 [https://geni.us/lRn3] Fostex A80 [https://geni.us/bpb48] Sequential Prophet 5 [https://geni.us/bdbTC1u] Roland Juno [https://geni.us/49MsY] Roland Jupiter-8 [https://geni.us/YJPL] ARP 2600 [https://geni.us/CjHe0oE] Synton Syrinx [https://geni.us/elkM] Peavey Classic 50 [https://geni.us/yMaCdr] Ensoniq DP/4 [https://geni.us/caTj6as] Fender Rhodes [https://geni.us/79UBJe] Whurlitzer [https://geni.us/JnR7] Spitfire Audio Instruments [https://geni.us/xSj99T] Ableton [https://geni.us/tMpiD] Cubase [https://geni.us/GxmrbY4%E2%81%A0] OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear [https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear] HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes], where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns. KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes [https://instagram.com/tapenotes?igshid=1ltiycavj644n]  Twitter: @tapenotes [https://twitter.com/TapeNotes?s=20]  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast [https://www.facebook.com/tapenotespodcast/]   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/c/TapeNotesPodcast] Discord: Tape Notes [https://discord.gg/tapenotes] Patreon: https://discord.gg/tapenotesTape Notes [https://www.patreon.com/tapenotes] To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk [http://www.tapenotes.co.uk] TAPE NOTES TEAM John Kennedy Will Brown  Tim Adam-Smith  Will Lyons  Nico Varanese  Guy Nicholls  Jessica Clucas Ali Lewis Evan Lawday Francis Hartgrove