Episodes

  • TN:178 Holly Humberstone & Rob Milton

    TN:178 Holly Humberstone & Rob Milton
    Apr 14 2026
    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 Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. QUBE Find out more about Qube membership here. MAKE NOISE PRO AUDIO Use the code TAPENOTES10 for 10% off all Franklin Audio products at makenoiseproaudio.com MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE Recorded at Baltic Studios. LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES linktr.ee/tapenotes Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective GEAR MENTIONS Roland Juno-60 Synthesizer The God Particle (Plugin) by Cradle Soundtoys Decapitator Sequential Prophet 5 Synthesizer Arturia DX-7 Soundtoys PanMan Pocket Piano Critter & Guitari Organelle Splice AMS RMX16 Reverb Rotor Solo Cello plugin Korg ARP 2600 M 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: Instagram: @tapenotes YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes Patreon: Tape Notes 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
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Reissue | TN:49 Enter Shikari

    Reissue | TN:49 Enter Shikari
    Mar 31 2026
    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 Enter Shikari's Rou Reynolds, digging into their 2020 record, 'Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible'. EPISODE NOTES In this episode, John catches up with Enter Shikari frontman and producer, Rou Reynolds to breakdown how the band wrote, recorded and produced their new album ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’. As the band’s most genre-bending album to date, Rou talks us through the challenges of combining techy metal, rave, reggae and ska influences with an oom-pah band and full symphony orchestra. Digging through his fifteen hard drives of demos and jams, we’re shown how every aspect of a track has a purpose and meaning – with detailed rhythms and distinctive sounds reflecting the state of the world in their own way. Listen to hear the original gibberish lyrics that ended up making the final version of a song, how the band ended up forming and recording their toy drum kit and what plugins Rou uses to create his own audio cuddle. Tracks discussed: THE GREAT UNKNOWN, Waltzing Off the Face of the Earth (1. Crescendo), satellites* * LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES ⁠https://linktr.ee/tapenotes⁠ ⁠ Listen to 'Nothing is True & Everything is Possible' here.⁠ 'Nothing is True & Everything is Possible' - SO Recordings/Silva Screen Records Limited Intro Music - ⁠Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective ⁠ GEAR MENTIONS ⁠Ableton⁠ ⁠Akai MPC Sampler⁠ ⁠ Arp 2600⁠ ⁠Arturia Synth Emulators⁠ ⁠Chandler REDD Microphone⁠ ⁠Farfisa⁠ ⁠Kemper Profiler Rack⁠ ⁠ LOMO Channel Strip⁠ ⁠Native Instruments Massive⁠ ⁠Roland Jupiter 6⁠ ⁠Sound Guru Mangle Plugin⁠ OUR GEAR ⁠https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear⁠ HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions): ⁠Donate⁠ Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Twitter⁠ Visit our website to join our mailing list: ⁠www.tapenotes.co.uk⁠
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • TN:177 Imogen Heap

    TN:177 Imogen Heap
    Mar 25 2026
    John sits down with Imogen Heap to talk about how she wrote, recorded and produced the EP IAM _ _ _. Imogen Heap is a British composer, artist, and producer, widely regarded as a pioneer in electronic pop and music technology. Over the years, her music has evolved from alternative to electronica, producing acclaimed albums such as Speak for Yourself and Ellipse, and collaborating with artists including Taylor Swift and Jon Hopkins. She consistently integrates technology into her practice, developing innovations like the Mi.Mu gloves and Mogen, an AI voice model that plays a central role in her 2025 EP ‘I AM__’. Joining Imogen at her Hideaway Studio, the conversation covers everything from her visceral experiences with noise music artists, to her pioneering use of AI and the latest developments with Mogen, exploring how technology continues to shape her creative process and collaborations. Tracks discussed: What Have You Done To Me?, Noise, Aftercare LISTEN to IAM _ _ _ here: I AM __ by Imogen Heap, Megaphonic Records TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. QUBE Find out more about Qube membership here. MAKE NOISE PRO AUDIO Use the code TAPENOTES10 for 10% off all Franklin Audio products at makenoiseproaudio.com MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES linktr.ee/tapenotes Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI GEAR MENTIONS Soma Lyra Wave Arts Panorama 7 Native Instruments Massive Euroracks Ableton Live Antares Autotune Avid Pro Tools Splice 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: Instagram: @tapenotes YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes Patreon: Tape Notes 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
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    1 hr and 50 mins
  • TN:176 Fred again..

    TN:176 Fred again..
    Mar 11 2026
    John is joined once again by Fred Gibson, better known as Fred again.., to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album USB. Fred Gibson is an award-winning British songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer whose musical journey began collaborating with legendary producer Brian Eno at just 16. Since then Fred has established himself as a globally successful solo artist. Alongside his studio output, from his acclaimed ‘Actual Life’ trilogy to the record ‘ten days’ Fred’s live shows have become global events, from Glastonbury to arena-scale collaborations, notably alongside FourTet and Skrillex, while his evolving USB project culminated in sold-out international performances and four homecoming shows at London’s Alexandra Palace in 2026. Sitting down once again at Fred’s house, Fred and John discuss the unlikely inspirations behind the songs on USB, sharing his advice for aspiring musicians and producers, the gear essential to his process and much more! Plus Fred answers questions from our Patreon subscribers! Tracks discussed: solo, ..FEISTY, HARDSTYLE 2 LISTEN to USB here - USB by Fred again.., Atlantic Records TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. QUBE Find out more about Qube membership here. MAKE NOISE PRO AUDIO Use the code TAPENOTES10 for 10% off all Franklin Audio products at makenoiseproaudio.com MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES linktr.ee/tapenotes Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI GEAR MENTIONS Waves SoundShifter Native Instruments Reaktor 6 Celemony Melodyne Xfer Records Serum 2 Fruityloops (FL Studio) LHI Audio ST4b Soundtoys FilterFreak Apple Logic Pro Apple Logic Pro Retro Synth Apple Logic Pro Chromaverb Apple Logic Pro Overdrive saturator Apple Logic Pro Spring Box delay pedal Apple Logic Pro Tremolo effect Apple Logic Pro ES2 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: Instagram: @tapenotes YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes Patreon: Tape Notes 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
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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • TN:175 Mumford & Sons and Aaron Dessner

    TN:175 Mumford & Sons and Aaron Dessner
    Feb 25 2026
    In this episode, John is joined by Mumford & Sons and producer Aaron Dessner to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Prizefighter’. Mumford & Sons are a British folk-rock band made up of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, who rose to global fame with their banjo-driven folk rock, earning BRIT and Grammy success with the records ‘Sigh No More’ and ‘Babel’. Their latest album, ‘Prizefighter', was co-written and co-produced with Aaron Dessner, and features collaborations with Hozier, Gracie Abrams, Gigi Perez and Chris Stapleton, with the band embracing a new creative freedom in the process. Sitting down with Marcus at his Scarlet Pimpernel studio, John and the band discuss how the album unexpectedly grew out of collaboration, and how the process left them feeling more creatively free than ever. They also dig into why the right mic isn’t always the most expensive one, Aaron’s techniques for recording guitars, how they created the album’s distinctive synth sounds and much more! Tracks discussed: Here, Prizefighter, Conversation With My Son (Gangsters & Angels) TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. LISTEN to ‘Prizefighter’ here - Prizefighter by Mumford & Sons ‘Island/Gentlemen of the Road' TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. QUBE Find out more about Qube membership here. MAKE NOISE PRO AUDIO Use the code TAPENOTES10 for 10% off all Franklin Audio products at makenoiseproaudio.com MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES linktr.ee/tapenotes Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective GEAR MENTIONS Tech 21 CompTortion Waterfall B3 Organ Mellotron Siemens WSW Console Neve Console Erica Synths Black Spring Reverb Gibson Firebird Gibson J45 Shure SM7B Sequential Prophet French Connection Neumann U47 Neve 1064 Preamp Neve 1073 Preamp Neve 1066 Preamp Lisson Grove R-124 Compressor Roland Juno-60 Optigan Neumann M49 Cubase Logic Pro Avid Pro Tools 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: Instagram: @tapenotes YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes Patreon: Tape Notes 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
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    1 hr and 50 mins
  • TN:174 Danny L Harle

    TN:174 Danny L Harle
    Feb 13 2026
    John sits down with Danny L Harle to discuss how he wrote, recorded and produced the album Cerulean. Danny L Harle is a British producer, artist and composer. One of the most sought-after songwriters and producers in music today, he has worked with numerous artists including Caroline Polachek, Florence and the Machine and Dua Lipa. Danny began releasing solo electronic music in 2013 on A.G. Cook’s label PC Music, with his debut album Harlecore arriving in 2021. Cerulean, Danny’s second album, was released in February 2026. Featuring collaborations with Caroline Polachek, PinkPatheress, Clairo, Oklou and others, the album distils his signature mix of rave energy, classical harmony and hyper-detailed production. Sitting down at Premises Studios, the two discuss how Danny programs synths to convey human elements and emotions, his favourite plug-ins of all time, collaborating with Clairo and PinkPantheress on Cerulean, plus much more! Tracks discussed: Laa, Facing Away (Ft. Clairo), Starlight (Ft. PinkPantheress) TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. QUBE Find out more about Qube membership here. MAKE NOISE PRO AUDIO Use the code TAPENOTES10 for 10% off all Franklin Audio products at makenoiseproaudio.com MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE LISTEN to ‘Cerulean’ here. LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES linktr.ee/tapenotes Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective GEAR MENTIONS Native Instruments Reaktor 6 Reaktor Steam Pipe 2 Fabfilter Pro-R 2 Native Instruments Razor Rhizomatic Software Synthesis Plasmonic LennarDigital Sylenth Sonic Kick 3 Native Instruments Massive Rob Pappen Predator Fabfilter Pro-Q 4 Oeksound Soothe 2 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: Instagram: @tapenotes YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes Patreon: Tape Notes 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
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • TN:173 Emma-Jean Thackray

    TN:173 Emma-Jean Thackray
    Jan 28 2026
    John is joined by English musician, songwriter, producer and DJ Emma-Jean Thackray to talk about how she wrote, recorded and produced the album Weirdo. Emma-Jean Thackray is a musical polymath whose creative approach was shaped by playing in brass bands as a child in West Yorkshire and studying jazz composition and performance at university. Her 2021 debut album 'Yellow' topped the UK Jazz Albums Chart and won Jazz FM Album of the Year. Her second album, 'Weirdo', followed in 2025 and was nominated for that year’s Mercury Prize. Entirely written, recorded, performed and produced by Emma-Jean, the record ultimately became a deeply personal grief diary following the sudden death of her partner. Sitting down at Strongroom Studios in London, Emma-Jean and John delve into how to make yourself like a whole band when you’re just one artist in a room, including layering and techniques for vocal recording and processing. Emma-Jean talks about exploring death and grief musically on ‘Maybe Nowhere’, being a perfectionist, and why a distortion pedal is the most highly insured piece she owns! Tracks discussed: Wanna Die, Save Me, Maybe Nowhere TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. Recorded at Strongroom Studios QUBE Find out more about Qube membership here. MAKE NOISE PRO AUDIO Use the code TAPENOTES10 for 10% off all Franklin Audio products at makenoiseproaudio.com LISTEN to ‘Weirdo’ here - https://lynkify.in/album/weirdo/XTgkV1p8 Warner Music UK Limited and Brownswood Music Limited LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES linktr.ee/tapenotes Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective GEAR MENTIONS Valhalla Super Massive Valhalla Plugins Prophet 5 V Soft Synth dbx 160 Compressor Telefunken ELA M Mic Moog Ampeg Bass Amp Fender P-Bass Bidirectional Ribbon Mics (Coles 4038) Boss RE202 Space Echo Fender Semi Hollow Telecaster Fender Blues Junior Roland SH-101 Fender Rhodes Neve 1073 Clone 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: Instagram: @tapenotes YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes Patreon: Tape Notes 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
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • TN:172 Artemas & Toby Daintree

    TN:172 Artemas & Toby Daintree
    Jan 14 2026
    John sits down with Artemas and producer Toby Daintree to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘LOVERCORE’. Artemas is an English artist and producer. As a teenager he taught himself music production and soon began releasing his dark, alternative pop music, inspired by grunge and new wave sounds. The viral hit ‘if u think i’m pretty’, released in 2024, made him a global star and he released mixtapes ‘pretty’ and ‘yustyna’ the same year. 2024 also saw Artemas’s second viral success with ‘i like the way you kiss me’, which was number one in eight countries. Artemas’s fourth release, ‘LOVERCORE’, with longtime collaborator and producer Toby Daintree, arrived in October 2025. In this episode, John is joined by Artemas and Toby Daintree at Baltic Studios. The trio discuss techniques for processing vocals and samples. They reveal their top plugins and other software they use to create Artemas’s distinctive sound. They also break down the track ‘i like the way you kiss me’ from its earliest beginnings to Tiktok viral hit. Tracks discussed: if u think i'm pretty, I like the way you kiss me, take it easy on me TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off. Recorded at Baltic Studios. MUSIVERSAL Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE LISTEN to ‘Lovercore’ here. ‘Artemas’ LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES linktr.ee/tapenotes Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI GEAR MENTIONS SoundToys Decapitator SoundToys Echoboy Waves Vocal Doubler Slate Digital Fresh Air Zynaptiq Pitchmap Oeksound Soothe 2 Xfer Serum Arturia Mello-Fi UAD SSL Bus Compressor UAD Moog Minimoog UAD PolyMAX UAD Brigade Chorus UA Apollo XLN Audio RC-20 Sonic Academy ANA 2.5 Software Synthesizer Omnisphere PORTAL by Output Telefunken ELA M251E Fender Rhodes Sequential Prophet Korg Opsix Neumann TLM 103 Genelec 8010 CapCut Ableton Live 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: Instagram: @tapenotes Twitter: @tapenotes Facebook: @tapenotespodcast YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes Patreon: Tape Notes 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
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    1 hr and 47 mins