- 1 hour 34 minutesTN:187 Overmono
John is joined by Ed and Tom of Overmono to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Pure Devotion’.
Overmono are Welsh electronic duo Tom and Ed Russell. After solo careers as Truss and Tessela, they began producing together as Overmono in 2015. Known for their energetic, acclaimed live shows, they broke through with Good Lies in 2023. Their second album, Pure Devotion, arrived in 2026, exploring experimental studio recording.
Sitting down at Strongroom Studios in London, Ed and Tom give John a step by step breakdown of their approach to vocal processing, discuss the plug-ins they use for layering synths, get into their unique approach to writing and sequencing drum patterns and reveal why their mix bus would make most audio engineers' heads spin! Plus they answer our Patreons' questions!
Tracks discussed: Ballad, Barum, Knight in Shining Prada
LISTEN to ‘Pure Devotion’ - XL Recordings
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Recorded at Strongroom Studios - https://www.strongroom.com/
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
Audio Punks Great British Spring
Black Corporation Deckard's Dream MKII
Moog MF-108M Moogerfooger Cluster Flux
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
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18 August 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 36 minutesTN:186 Joy Anonymous
John is joined by Hen and Louis a.k.a. Joy Anonymous, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced a selection of tracks across their back catalog.
Joy Anonymous formed in 2018 with the aim of spreading joy through music and live performance. Their South Bank pop-up shows during the pandemic brought widespread attention, with recordings from these performances featuring on their debut album ‘Human Again’ (2021). Since then, they have released ‘Cult Classics’ (2023), collaborated with numerous artists, and continued to release new music, including their stripped-back ‘Source’ versions. Their third record is set for release in the coming months.
Sitting down together at Baltic Studios, the trio discuss getting inspired by the rhythm of spoken voices and their techniques for making dance music sound uniquely human, their secrets for building a club banger, how playing live with Fred again and Ezra Collective influenced tracks in the studio and much more, plus they answer questions from our Patreons!
Tracks discussed: JOY (Nobody Ever), JOY (Like You Used To), JOY (This One)
LISTEN to
JOY (Nobody Ever) - 2026 From Concentrate - JOY (Nobody Ever) 7” mix by Joy Anonymous, Tamaraebi
JOY (Like You Used To) - 2026 From Concentrate - JOY (Like You Used To) by Joy Anonymous, MOTHERBOARD
JOY (This One) - 2026 From Concentrate - JOY (This One) by Joy Anonymous, Ezra Collective, Stush
TAPE IT
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Recorded at Baltic Studios - Recording Studios at Baltic
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
BOSS SP-505 Groove Sampling Workstation
Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator Drum Machine
Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S8
LHI Audio ST4b Transient Shaper
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
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4 August 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 41 minutesTN:185 Charli xcx, A. G. Cook & Finn Keane
John is joined by Charli xcx and producers A. G. Cook and Finn Keane to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Music, Fashion, Film’.
Charli XCX is a British singer, songwriter, producer and actor. Since her debut album ‘True Romance' in 2013, Charli has released a further six records, building a fiercely loyal fanbase while continually pushing the boundaries of pop. In 2024, ‘BRAT’ propelled Charli to a new level of global recognition. The Grammy award-winning album became a cultural phenomenon and cemented her status as one of pop’s defining artists of the decade. She has since continued to explore new creative directions, returning to solo music in July 2026 with her eighth album ‘Music, Fashion, Film’, with long-time collaborators & hyperpop pioneers, producers A.G. Cook and Finn Keane.
Sitting down together at Platoon Studios, Charli, A. G. and Finn reflect on their approach to working together post-’BRAT’ and taking a wider creative lens on this record. They discuss their recording sessions at Rue Boyer Studios in Paris and dig into the voices, stories and production techniques, including vocal processing and instrument chopping, that give the album its distinctive sonic identity. Tracks discussed: No One Lasts Forever, Card Declined, Rock Music
LISTEN to ‘Music, Fashion, Film’ - Charli xcx Inc, Atlantic Recording Corporation
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Recorded at Platoon Studios - https://platoon.ai/
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
DataMind Audio Concatenator
Vermona DRM1 MKIV Drum Machine
Soundtoys Little Alterboy
Chase Bliss CXM Reverb Pedal
Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter Pedal
Cableguys Shaperbox Plugin
Gamechanger Audio Third Man Records PLASMA COIL
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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21 July 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 55 minutesReissue | TN:54 Disclosure
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 Guy and Howard of Disclosure, digging into their 2020 record, 'ENERGY'.
EPISODE NOTES
Chosen from over 200 songs, the Guy and Howard break apart the individual parts and distinct sounds from the handful of tracks that made the cut. The boys take a deep dive into what it takes to make a Disclosure hit, revealing the tricks and tools they use along the way.
Listen to find out why the best hooks are written in 20 minutes, how conversations with Pharrell led to new chord progressions, and why the brothers nearly went the same way as Oasis.
Tracks discussed: Douha (Mali Mali), Who Knew? & Birthday
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Listen to 'ENERGY' Island Records, Universal Music Operations Limited
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
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7 July 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 45 minutesTN:184 Myles Smith & Peter Fenn
John is joined by Myles Smith and producer Peter Fenn to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘My Mess, My Heart, My Life’.
Myles Smith is a singer-songwriter from Luton in the UK. Performing at local open mic nights since his teens, he built a loyal fan base and landed a record deal with Sony thanks to cover versions he posted on Tiktok. In 2024, Myles’ single ‘Stargazing’ was a viral hit and has since been streamed over one billion times globally. The momentum of ‘Stargazing’ and other early singles helped establish Myles as one of the UK's most promising new artists. He won 2024’s BBC Introducing Artist of the Year and the BRIT Rising Star Award and is only the second artist, after Lewis Capaldi, to sell out London’s 02 Arena before releasing a debut album. ‘My Mess, My Heart, My Life’, his debut, produced by longtime collaborator Peter Fenn, arrived in June 2026.
Sitting down at Salvation Studios in Brighton, the trio discuss “getting out of the way of the song” as their approach to production on the album and how billion-streaming hit ‘Stargazing’ evolved into something really special in the studio. They explain why they prefer to be “in the box” when it comes to mixing, and reveal how they translated Myles’ original acoustic tracks into anthemic live performances, including “Myles Sauce” vocal techniques! Plus they answer questions from our Patrons!
Tracks discussed: Stargazing, My Mess, Dying Days
LISTEN to ‘My Mess, My Heart, My Life’ - It’s Okay To Feel, Sony Music: My Mess, My Heart, My Life. by Myles Smith
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Recorded at Salvation Studios
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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23 June 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 30 minutesTN:183 Arlo Parks & Baird
John is joined by Arlo Parks and Baird to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Ambiguous Desire’.
Arlo Parks is an indie-pop singer-songwriter from West London. After uploading demos to BBC Introducing as a teenager, she quickly attracted industry attention. Her debut album, ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’, arrived in 2021, establishing Arlo as one of the defining artists of her generation and earning her the Mercury Prize and two Grammy nominations. Arlo’s third record, the more electronic-focused ‘Ambiguous Desire', was released in April 2026, co-written and produced by Baird, along with additional collaborators Paul Epworth and Sampha.
Sitting down at Strongroom Studios in London, with Baird joining online, Arlo and Baird discuss the “runaway train” of their symbiotic creative process and how they recreated the feel of the club and dancefloor through the record’s distinctive grooves. They share never previously heard freestyles, demos and vocal tracking secrets from the studio, and they answer questions from our Patreon community!
Tracks discussed: Senses, Jetta, Heaven
LISTEN to Ambiguous Desire: Ambiguous Desire by Arlo Parks, Transgressive Records
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TRINITY LABAN
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MUSIVERSAL
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Recorded at Platoon Studios
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
Electro Harmonix Pitch Fork Polyphonic Pitch Shifter Pedal
Ibanez Electro Acoustic Nylon Guitar
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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9 June 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 36 minutesTN:182 Bleachers (Jack Antonoff)
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John is joined by Jack Antonoff of Bleachers to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Everyone for Ten Minutes’. Jack Antonoff is an American producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. As a producer, he’s widely recognised for helping shape the sound of modern pop through his work with artists including Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar and many more. Alongside his production work, Jack has built a hugely successful career as a musician and songwriter, first rising to prominence with Fun in the early 2010s before founding Bleachers in 2013. Since then, Bleachers have released five studio albums and toured globally, with their latest record, Everyone for Ten Minutes, released in May 2026.
Sitting down at Platoon Studios in London, Jack looks back on the process of bringing the album to life, digging into the recording techniques behind the record and demonstrating different directions the songs could have taken along the way. He also talks about how leading with simplicity became central to the album, answers questions from Patreons, and much more.
Tracks discussed: i’m not joking, we should talk, dancing
LISTEN to Everyone for Ten Minutes - everyone for ten minutes by Bleachers Dirty Hit Recordings
TAPE IT
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TRINITY LABAN
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MAKE NOISE PRO AUDIO
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MUSIVERSAL
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Recorded at Platoon Studios - Link
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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26 May 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 10 minutesTN:181 Tom Misch
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John is joined by Tom Misch to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Full Circle’.
Tom Misch is an English singer-songwriter and producer known for his innovative sound, blending hip-hop beats and soulful vocals along with his distinctive guitar style. His self-recorded debut album ‘Geography’ was a UK top ten hit in 2018, followed by ‘What Kinda Music’, released in 2020, with Yussef Dayes. Tom’s second solo album, ‘Full Circle’, arrived in March 2026.
Sitting down at Strongroom Studios, the two take a deep dive into Tom’s process. They discuss his essential gear for creating guitar sounds and his go-to vocal chain techniques, Tom breaks down three tracks from his album from demos to master and also answers questions from our Patreons, plus much more!
Tracks discussed: Red Moon, Slow Tonight, Days of Us
LISTEN to Full Circle - Full Circle by Tom Misch, AWAL recordings
TAPE IT
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TRINITY LABAN
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MUSIVERSAL
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Recorded at Strongroom Studios
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
Acustica Audio El Rey Tube Compressor Plugin
Logic Pro 9 Acoustic Guitar Amo
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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19 May 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 16 minutesTN:180 Foo Fighters
John is joined by Foo Fighters to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Your Favorite Toy’.
Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed by Dave Grohl. Known for their alt-rock anthems driven by melody and personality, they have evolved into one of rock’s biggest and most influential bands. Over the past 20 years, they have released twelve studio albums, won fifteen Grammys, and in 2021 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their twelfth studio album, ‘Your Favorite Toy’, arrived in April 2026.
Sitting down at Metropolis Studios in London, Dave and bassist Nate Mendel break down tracks, all the way from Dave’s demos and early drum patterns through to the final masters. The pair also discuss how they created the distinctive Foo Fighters guitar sounds on ‘Spit Shine’, share stories from recording screaming and Ilan’s perfect flams, and answer questions from our Patrons!
Tracks discussed: Asking For A Friend, Spit Shine, If You Only Knew
LISTEN to Your Favourite Toy: Your Favorite Toy by Foo Fighters, RCA Records.
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TRINITY LABAN
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QUBE
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MAKE NOISE PRO AUDIO
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MUSIVERSAL
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Recorded at Metropolis Studios
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, 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
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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!
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5 May 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 31 minutesTN:179 TOMORA (Tom Rowlands of Chemical Brothers & AURORA)
John is joined by TOMORA to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album COME CLOSER.
TOMORA are an electronic music duo made up of The Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands and AURORA. Both have excelled in their fields: The Chemical Brothers’ ten albums helped define electronic music, while Norwegian artist AURORA’s ethereal songwriting has won her a devoted worldwide following. The duo began collaborating when Aurora featured on The Chemical Brothers’ Grammy Award-winning 2019 album No Geography. In turn, Tom produced parts of AURORA’s What Happened To The Heart? (2024). That led to TOMORA and their debut album COME CLOSER.
Sitting down at Baltic Studios, they discuss creating the album’s distinctive soundscapes and recording AURORA’s striking vocals. They also introduce John to the vintage synthesiser crucial to the album’s sound, plus answer Patreons’ questions!
Tracks discussed: Somewhere Else, I Drink the Light, Come Closer
LISTEN to COME CLOSER by TOMORA, AURORA, The Chemical Brothers
TAPE IT
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QUBE
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MUSIVERSAL
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Recorded at Baltic - Studio 2
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, 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:
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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!
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21 April 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 40 minutesTN:178 Holly Humberstone & Rob Milton
John is joined by Holly Humberstone and Rob Milton to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album Cruel World.
Holly Humberstone is a singer-songwriter from Grantham, England. After early support from BBC Introducing, her debut EP ‘Falling Asleep at the Wheel’ gained widespread attention during the pandemic, earning a BRIT Rising Star win and two Ivor Novello nominations. Her debut album 'Paint My Bedroom Black’, arrived in 2023, and reached the UK top 5, while tours with Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo boosted her global profile. Her second album, Cruel World, was released in April 2026, working with long-time collaborator, producer Rob Milton.
Sitting down at Baltic Studios, the trio discuss the record’s influences, from The 1975 to Fleetwood Mac. They break down ‘To Love Somebody’ from early voice notes to final master, explore harmony techniques on ‘Cruel World’, and Holly reflects on how industry pressures shaped ‘Beauty Pageant’, alongside sharing their essential plug-ins and gear.
Tracks discussed: To Love Somebody, Cruel World, Beauty Pageant
LISTEN to Cruel World here - Cruel World by Holly Humberstone, Polydor Records
TAPE IT
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Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.
QUBE
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MUSIVERSAL
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Recorded at Baltic - Studio 2
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
The God Particle (Plugin) by Cradle
Sequential Prophet 5 Synthesizer
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, 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
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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!
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14 April 2026, 11:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App