John is joined by Pomplamoose - American indie-jazz duo Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn - to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘Photogénique’, released in July this year.
The two met while studying at Stanford University and began making music together in early 2008. They first gained widespread attention in late 2009 through their inventive covers of popular songs on YouTube and MySpace, achieving their first viral hit in 2010 with their rendition of Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’. Since then, Pomplamoose have released seven albums, including ‘Tribute to Famous People’ (2010) and ‘Hey, It’s Pomplamoose’ (2016), blending elements of indie pop, rock, and jazz.
In this episode, Jack and Nataly join remotely from their US studio to discuss the three-year process of writing and recording ‘Photogénique’, the ‘extreme self-honesty’ that led them to scrap and re-record much of the original album and their intricate vocal production processes. They also get into the influence of AI on their art, their top gear recommendations and advice they would give to newer artists.
Tracks discussed: Tu Peux Pas Savoir, Julie
TAPE IT
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Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.
LANDR
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MUSIVERSAL
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LISTEN to ‘Photogénique’ here, Pomplamoose Inc.
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
Ableton Live
Waves Smack Attack
Soundtoys Decapitator
Fabfilter Saturn 2
Waves The Kings Microphones
Goodhertz Megaverb
Roland JU-06A
Roland Juno-60
Roland Juno-106
Neumann TLM49
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
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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!
Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk
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1:25:14
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1:25:14
TN:163 CMAT & Oli Deakin
John is joined by Irish singer-songwriter CMAT and producer Oli Deakin, to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘EURO-COUNTRY’.
CMAT, aka Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, is best known for her unique blend of country-infused pop music, which often incorporates humour and pop culture references. She released her debut album, ‘If My Wife New I'd Be Dead’, in 2022, produced by longtime friend Oli Deakin. Both it and second album ‘Crazymad, For Me’ were praised for their detailed lyricism. The latter was also nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Ivor Novello Award for Best Album. CMAT’s third album ‘EURO-COUNTRY’ was released on 29th August 2025, with Oli Deakin again on production. It has already garnered rave reviews and given CMAT her first viral Tiktok hit with ‘Take a Sexy Picture of Me’.
Sitting down at Platoon Studios in London, the trio discuss how the album was inspired by growing up in Ireland in the Noughties, why CMAT’s phone is her most important instrument, how online trolling inspired her viral hit ‘Take a Sexy Picture of Me’ and why a three-minute ‘perfect’ pop melody can be the most effective way to deliver a hard-hitting political message.
Tracks discussed: Billy Byrne From Ballybrack, The Leader of the Pigeon Convoy; EURO-COUNTRY; Take a Sexy Picture of Me; Iceberg
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 Platoon Studios
LANDR
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MUSIVERSAL
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LISTEN to ‘EURO-COUNTRY’ here: EURO-COUNTRY by CMAT, AWAL Recordings
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI
GEAR MENTIONS
Omnichord
Mellotron
Casio Keyboard
AEA R88 microphone
Wurlitzer
Neumann M49 microphone
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:
YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast
Patreon: Tape Notes
Instagram: @tapenotes
Discord: Tape Notes
X: @tapenotes
Facebook: @tapenotespodcast
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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2:02:45
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2:02:45
TN:162 Laufey & Spencer Stewart
John is joined by singer-songwriter and musician Laufey and producer Spencer Stewart to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘A Matter Of Time’.
Having performed on numerous national TV singing shows in her youth, Icelandic-Chinese artist Laufey released her first full-length album, ‘Everything I Know About Love’ in 2022. It was praised for seamlessly blending jazz influences with contemporary production. Her second album, ‘Bewitched’, continued this trend with its captivating jazz-pop ballads and earned her the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Laufey met producer Spencer Stewart when they were students at music college in the US and they have been collaborating ever since. Laufey’s much anticipated third album ‘A Matter of Time’ was released on 24th August 2025.
Sitting down at Strongroom Studios in London, the trio discuss how creativity often involves breaking formal rules, why the voice is an underrated instrument, the importance of not being a snob when it comes to technology and their belief that when it sounds wrong in the studio, it might just be because you’ve hit on something really original!
Tracks discussed: Lover Girl; Tough Luck; Too Little, Too Late
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
LANDR
Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at landr.com/tapenotes
MUSIVERSAL
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LISTEN to ‘A Matter of Time’ here , Vingolf Recordings
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
Neumann TLM103
Neumann U67
Shure SM7B
Juno-60
iZotope Ozone
Echoplex
Plank of wood
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
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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!
Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk
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1:35:38
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1:35:38
TN:161 Rudimental
John is joined by Piers and Kesi of seminal British dance act Rudimental, at Strongroom Studios in London to discuss how they wrote and recorded new album ‘RUDIM3NTAL’.
Rudimental’s three members - Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden and Leon Rolle - started as childhood friends. After releasing their debut album ‘Home’ in 2013, the trio quickly became one of the most influential dance acts of the 21st century. They have amassed billions of streams worldwide, toured extensively and released multiple chart-topping singles including ‘Feel the Love’, ‘Waiting All Night’ and ‘These Days’.
In this episode, the band discuss the evolution of Rudimental from their earliest days and how they keep things fresh and exciting five albums in. They talk about honing in on the drum and bass genre on this record and other changes they made to their process such as working with samples and collaborating with different producers. They also discuss their legendary talent for getting the best from featured vocalists and the influence their live shows have always had on their studio recordings.
Tracks discussed: Chop Dem Down, Thank You, Green & Gold
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.
LANDR
Get 20% off LANDR Distribution and Studio at landr.com/tapenotes
MUSIVERSAL
Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE
LISTEN to ‘RUDIM3NTAL’ here
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
Gear mentions:
VPS avenger
Xfer Serum
U-he diva
Apple Logic Pro
Izotope Music Rebalance (part of RX suite)
AKAI MPC
Melotron
Splice
Loopmasters
UAD Eden
Neve preamp
Manley ref-c mic
UA bock 251 mic
UA Urei 1176 compressor
Rode microphones
Shure sm57 mic
UAD interface
Korg m1 synth
Thermionic culture vulture
Solid State Logic SSL Fusion
Soundtoys Echoboy
UAD Dyntronics cyclosonic panner
Prophet 6 synth
Effectrix by Sugar Bytes
Nicky Romero kickstart plugin
Moog Voyager
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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1:26:07
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1:26:07
TN:160 Djo & Adam Thein
John is joined by Djo and producer Adam Thein to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘The Crux’.
Djo, aka Joe Keery, is an American musician and actor. His music career began back in 2014 as a guitarist and drummer in the Chicago psych-rock/garage band ‘Post Animal’. He left to launch a solo career as Djo, balancing music with a starring role in the Netflix global hit ‘Stranger Things’. His first album as Djo, ‘Twenty Twenty’, was released in 2019 and praised by critics for its blend of psychedelic rock and power pop influences. His second album ‘Decide’, followed in 2022. The single ‘End of Beginning’ from the album was a viral hit and was nominated for Brit and Billboard awards. ‘The Crux’, arrived in April this year to further critical acclaim, once again working with producer Adam Thein
In this episode, the pair discuss Joe’s collaborative approach to creating and what Adam sees as Joe’s particular gift for knowing what feedback to take on board and what to discard. Joe talks about the long process of making ‘The Crux’, juggling writing and recording with a demanding acting career, and how space and time actually aided his creative process.
Tracks discussed: Delete Ya, Charlie’s Garden, Egg
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 Platoon Tileyard Studios
MUSIVERSAL
Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE
LISTEN to ‘The Crux’ here
AWAL Recordings
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
Soundtoys Echoboy
Soundtoys Microshift
Soundtoys Little Alterboy
Soundtoys Devil Loc
Brainworx True Peak Limiter
Universal Audio Vox AC-30
Lexicon 224
Arturia East Piano
Sequential Prophet 6
EMU Planet Phatt
RCA R44
Brigade Chorus
E-Bow
Roland Alpha Juno
Fender P-Bass
Mellotron
UTA-D UnFairchild Plugin
Wurlitzer
Farfisa Synth
ARP Pro DGX Synth
Digitech Talker Vocoder
Guild Starfire Bass
Gibson J45
Magniton Amp
Boss CE-1
Fender Stratocaster
Neve Desk
Avid ProTools
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
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 is a podcast about the art and craft of music production. Hosted by John Kennedy, each episode reunites an artist and producer to talk about the highlights of their collaboration in the studio. Their conversations lift the lid on every stage of the creative process, from kindling the first spark of a song idea, through decisions on style and instrumentation, to finessing the final product. Full of fascinating anecdotes, the conversations also feature early demo versions and stems from the original session recordings. The result is a unique insight into the working methods of some of the most innovative and exciting talents in music.
France