Aural Fix – Metronomy
Metronomy is the once solo project, once band, now (again) solo project of English producer, remixer and indie-popper Joseph Mount. Little did teenage Mount know, his initial experimental bedroom recordings would later turn into a 21+ year flirtation with UK dance floors and chart-topping singles; but rarely do things go as expected.
One might think that after releasing 2011’s Mercury Prize-nominated LP “The English Riviera” and opening for Coldplay in 2012 that Metronomy was poised to become the next household name. Evidently Mount and co. had other notions of success.
Instead of succumbing to the temptation of creating a White Claw-esque brand of algorithmically perfect pop, Metronomy has managed to preserve the jeu ne se quoi of their bedroom beginnings. That’s not to say that Mount’s production techniques aren’t top-notch. (One doesn’t simply get commissioned by the Gorillaz or Lady Gaga or Lykki Li for a remix after all.) However, every part of their discography feels true to the 17-year-old Mount’s honest love for experimenting with music and composing for himself. Like any fan, Mount has clear musical preferences—he just happens to write music too.
Most recent LP Metronomy Forever (2019) was the first to be recorded in Mount’s new home studio and feels like more of a return to form than his previous solo effort and return to form: Summer 08 (2014). All jokes aside, Metronomy’s recent exploration of instrumental dance tracks and more confessional lyrics feels like a peak into 1999 and a reflection on how high school tastes shape us. Tracks like “Lately (Going Spare)” has an emo flavor to it, while “Sex Emoji” has a fun teen angst and is purposefully vague enough for the listener to impose their own ideas of meaning.
Known for a memorable live show, it’ll be exciting to see what Metronomy incorporates into their new instrumental material, traditional dance routines and light shows. Get ready to party like it’s nineteen ninety-nine.
