Tape Notes

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

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Instagram: @tapenotes 

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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

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

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

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 Rina Sawayama and producer Clarence Clarity.

EPISODE NOTES
In this episode, John catches up with Rina Sawayama and producer Clarence Clarity to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Rina’s debut album ‘Sawayama’.  
 
Diving deep into the almost 100 track sessions, Rina and Clarence reflect on how the album took shape, from writing demos in Rina’s bedroom to spending months in an LA studio. We hear the pair’s philosophies on creativity and the hustle of making it in the world of music, along with the secrets in crafting their fusion of R&B, noughties pop and nu-metal.  
 
Listen to find out why Rina tries includes at least 10 hooks in each song, how Clarence tried to match a trap beat to Rina’s mum’s Beethoven performance and which member of The 1975 made a secret appearance on the record. 
 
Tracks discussed: Dynasty, Love Me 4 Me, Snakeskin
 
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES 
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes 
 
Listen to 'Sawayama' here.
'Sawayama' - Dirty Hit
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective 
 
GEAR MENTIONS
Ableton
Sontronics Saturn
Soundelux U99

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

TAPE NOTES TEAM
John Kennedy
Will Brown 
Tim Adam-Smith 
Will Lyons 
Nico Varanese 
Guy Nicholls 
Jessica Clucas
Ali Lewis