Q&A: In Conversation With Joe Mount About Metronomy’s Resounding Return With ‘Posse Volume 2’
METRONOMY HAS RESUMED THEIR RHYTHM WITH — Posse Volume 2, and every moment of it is refreshing. The phenomenal indie-electronic creative project has made an exciting comeback with a new EP, a seamless sequel to 2021’s Posse Volume 1. The five-track project marks a new era in their vibrant and eccentric musicality and deepens their reputation as pioneers.
Metronomy was founded in 1999 by English producer and songwriter Joe Mount, and over the last two decades, has cemented themselves as one of the most prominent electronic pop bands with the refined sound, innovation, and dynamic artistry. Bursting onto the scene with the 2006 debut album, Pip Paine (Pay The 5000 You Owe), and gained international acclaim and critical success with their 2008 LP, Nights Out. Since then, the collective has put out projects that keep pushing the boundaries of electronic pop, indie rock, and lo-fi while also effortlessly blending these genres. The subsequent albums went on to be highly acclaimed, Mercury Prize–nominated, gold-certified, and found streaming success.
The Posse EPs have further been an excellent showcase of Mount’s relentless quest for a challenge and growth in sound. But more than that, it is also a testament for the artist’s love for collaboration. In this project, Mount teamed up with a number of talented and exciting musical acts such as Miki, Faux Real, Nourished By Time, and Pan Amsterdam.
The project ebbs and flows from the eclectic and groovy “Nice Town,” featuring Pan Amsterdam, to the gentle and composed “With Balance,” featuring Naima Bock and Joshua Idehen. Posse Volume 2 is harmonious, well-rounded, and full of personality. Metronomy released a music video to accompany “With Balance,” which Mount describes as “the perfect visual extension of The Posse EP ethos.” Similarly, the entire project is the best depiction of Metronomy’s genius that has cemented them as one of the leading and celebrated indie-pop figures today.
Luna had the opportunity to sit down with Mount and discussed Posse Volume 2, the importance of artist collaborations, and having a successful career that spans two decades. Read the interview below.
LUNA: Thank you for granting us the opportunity to speak with you. You’ve been in the industry for over two decades, and Metronomy’s sound has evolved over the years. How has your artistry evolved from when you started to now?
MOUNT: When you start out, everyone is excited about you and it's a crazy experience, and then it’s over before you are even aware of it. I believe this applies to every artist, but for me, once the initial hype calmed, I had two options. Either I kept doing what I was doing, or [I] regroup and change paths. I didn’t want to stop doing music so I pursued a career in it. I want music to be the thing that defines my life and who I am, but at the same time I don't want to keep doing the same thing over and over again. I just feel that I've evolved to try and keep myself excited about being a musician and about making music. I am twice the age that I was when I started this, and so in pursuing what keeps me thrilled I am trying to hold on to that excitement that I had when I was young.
LUNA: Posse Volume 2 boasts a number of collaborations, and working with other artists has always been at the core of your artistry and Metronomy’s mission. As you continue to make music and grow in your sound choices, how has your collaboration process changed?
MOUNT: Once again, it is another thing that keeps me energized. It is a wonderful feeling to meet and work with someone who is at that breakout point in their career and witness them at a time that is the most exhilarating. It is also enjoyable to not be the face of things; when you hear their voice, it is more about them than it is about me. Similarly, collaborating is the beginning of being confident in yourself and your direction. Before, I used to be tentative when sharing a suggestion or critique, but now I am always secure in the fact that I know what I am talking about.
LUNA: You mentioned this type of separation even when speaking about the music video for “With Balance,” where you also said that the music video was the perfect visual extension of the sound of the project. How do you approach the visual aesthetic you have incorporated into your music videos and album covers?
MOUNT: When I first started out, releasing music on YouTube was the new big thing. People would go on YouTube to watch music videos, and I think at that point people thought that the age of music videos on television was over, but they had this really big resurgence. By the time that we started and became successful, a lot of people started putting money into making music videos, which was quite unusual. I grew up watching all these amazing music videos in the late ’90s and I always dreamed of having these videos. I was basically lucky because I started making music videos when they were still important. I was able to work with these exciting directors. The first collaborations with visual artists are the central to most of our creativity from the people who design the records to the stylists for music videos. So I think very early on you realize that you have much more in common with visual artists and that you are just in different fields.
LUNA: How do you feel your role has transformed as a producer and songwriter and as someone who also likes to give spotlight to other artists?
MOUNT: I know how to make music and I know how to do that quite well. Music has been my focus for years, and I have always wanted to [home] in on that instead of trying to chase other avenues that would take away from my passion or the core of what I do. This is why working with newer artists is so much more exciting to me than working with established ones, because you have this opportunity to take the backseat and give others the spotlight. I believe that as multifaceted as I'm gonna get is basically working with more emerging and different artists. I don't wish to spread myself too thin.
LUNA: Being able to transform from project to project is monumental and is in itself is a great achievement. How do you measure success? And what does it mean to you especially now at this stage of your career?
MOUNT: Being happy and being able to make a living is how I define success. I think the saddest thing would be to not be able to do something that you at least enjoy or explore the many other interests you would eventually enjoy. I am happy working and that is really all that matters to me.
It is like when people have writer's block I sometimes feel that is related to not being excited about making music, you know? And I feel if you go into something without that thrill, then you don't really get much out of it. Even taking some time away from doing music helps me keep excited about doing it again but also working with people who have fresh perspectives refreshens the experience for me. And quite often I work with people who I see experimenting with their own careers, and when I tap into that I get to keep that energy for myself too. It is inspiring.
LUNA: What was your favorite part about making this project?
MOUNT: When I start [a project], I usually don’t know how it is going to end up. These songs start with me making a beat or a bit of a track and sending it away. And for me that is the best part. When you do something that you know is amazing like an EP, beautiful tracks come out of nothing. When I first got sent the “My Love” by Nourished by Time it was so much better than I hoped and I knew from then that something special would happen.
LUNA: Your lyrics often focus on love, relationships, and British culture, combined with an electronic dance sound. What draws you to revisit these themes? What draws you to keep revisiting this sound.
MOUNT: It is all very instinctive. I feel that there is a whole subconscious level to making music where … it is like flicking through clothes on a rack: you stop at something because it captures your interest and it happens without you really having to think about it. I am always inspired by the music I heard when I was growing up, and my childhood has shaped my taste and way of doing things. When it comes to songwriting I always used to find writing lyrics very easy and I'm increasingly getting more comfortable with them. For me, you just have to try and find something that you're thinking about and find a thing that you want to say.
LUNA: What is your creative process? Are there any rituals or traditions you have before you record or compose music?
MOUNT: When I was younger I would smoke to get into it, but obviously I have grown up a lot. Now I am much more into working on my garden, doing some kind of manual labor, just going for a walk, and watching films that I really like. I love films, and I get into these periods of watching particular kinds of film and I realize that you can do a lot of music making in your head and not just when you are in the studio. I'll be doing the most mundane things like mowing the lawn and thinking of new ideas in my head.
LUNA: Since the release of your EP, how has the reception been? What’s next for Metronomy and Joe Mount?
MOUNT: I think there are people who haven't heard of Metronomy have found and are surprised by the sound and all these features, and because of that the reception has been brilliant. The next thing for us is to do more music. More songwriting and working on another EP and getting in the studio with some other artists as well. It is summer here, so I plan on enjoying that as much as possible.
