Mike Lindsay interview: “Anna brought the lyrical excellence – other than the songs about salad making”

Tasty, unique DIY sounds from the Tunng man

Mike Lindsay is a founder member of leftfield icons Tunng, as well as being half of LUMP and a Mercury Prize winning engioneer and mix engineer with a list of credits including Jon Hopkins, Hannah Peel, Anna B Savage, William Doyle, Tinariwen and Dana Gavanski.

If that didn’t keep him busy enough, he’s also found time to make a truly unique solo album for the mighty Moshi Moshi label. Supershapes Vol1 blends his appetite for experimentation with his superlative sonic skills and his knack for a writing unexpectedly catchy tune, is out today on vinyl and CD – and here, the man himself tells us all about it.

TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE ALBUM… HOW AND WHERE WAS IT RECORDED?

It started out as an instrumental record, experimenting with the Subharmonicon synth and blending that with Ross Blakes Soft woodwind, back in 2021 in my home studio in Margate. It was then paused for a year, while I moved the studio into the PRAH building in Margate. It then felt like the right time to pick it up and bring the magic. This process happened first with Robert Stillman, an amazing sax player and inspirational musician, and then with Anna B Savage who brought the project to life with majestic lyrics and vocals.  The themes that were addressed came about through lots of discussion about the miraculous in the mundane and general domestica. Finally Adam Betts sprinkled his cluster drums along side my table wonk Rhythms.

DID YOU SET OUT TO MAKE AN LP OR DID IT HAPPEN BIT BY BIT?   WHICH SONGS CAME FIRST AND WHAT WERE THE LAST?  

I think the first actual song was ‘Table’. I had all the instrumentals before Anna came to the studio, but we had been sharing ideas about the general domestic theme. One idea was formed whilst sitting at my 124 year old table in my house. The table can remember every conversation that’s ever been had around it.  Anna is a poet and she turned this notion into the song that it has become. After that , over just a few days we carved out the whole album with this theme and it flowed really naturally.. I LOVE working with Anna.

IT SOUNDS VERY ‘SOCIAL’ – TALK US THROUGH THE VARIOUS OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED AND THEIR ROLES

I’ve Known Ross (Blake) for around a decade, he’s a polymath! He has anamazing solo album which you should check out.. He can play everything, but I wanted clarinet and soft sax.. which he did, but he also brought the Alto recorder… this took us on a Bolivian adventure ….in our minds!

Robert Stillman lives locally to Margate.. he’s a total inspiration. He came to the studio just for a coupld of days.. he brought the sax clusters and the beauty..  He’s currently on tour with The Smile.

Anna B Savage. I produced her second album .. she’s the real deal.. I’m soo lucky to have her working with me on my own album.  She’s the queen of day to day simplistic pure feeling poems with a voice that can take you through all the emotions in just one note!

THE ALBUM HAS A UNIQUE MUSICAL FEEL TO IT – HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SELECTION OF DIFFERENT STYLES ?

Clustered woody tangles of soft-blown domestica.

TELL US ABOUT THE LYRICS ON THE ALBUM – WHAT’S ARE THE CONCERNS AND SUBJECTS YOU EXPLORED?  IS THERE A THEME OR THEMES THAT BINDS THEM ALL TOGETHER?

The main themes are rooted in the home. The objects and daily rituals that shape us. The mundane cosyness that is pure magic. The reverse FOMO of wanting to stay in..  Recipes that are easy to make when everything else in the book is too much…  Tables and cucumbers.

THERE’S A VERY CONVERSATIONAL FEEL TO THE LYRICS – ARE YOU SOMEONE WHO WRITES DOWN AND/OR REMEMBERS RANDOM CHIT CHAT YOU’VE OVERHEARD IN PUBLIC

I don’t do that… but I would like to….   I did write some notes whilst on a walk in Margate though.. and some of these were shown to Anna for inspiration.  Mainly though, Anna brought the lyrical excellence.  Other than the songs about salad making.

AND FINALLY WHAT’S NEXT FOR MIKE LINDSAY?

Volume 2 !!!  Probably an EP about a building I once lived in 25 years ago, it’s derelict now.  The walls will be sampled and the ether of the building captured in my Ether recorder!  

Buy your copy of Supershapes Vol1 on Moshi Moshio by clicking here