Ahead of their European tour (tickets) that kick soff tomorrow (March 5th), tunng‘s Mike Lindsay talks us, track-by-track, through their new album Love You All Over Again. The album was released in January on Full Time Hobby, also marking the twentieth anniversary of This is Tunng… Mother’s Daughter and Other Songs, their pagan-folktronica debut.
Mike Lindsay’s track-by-track – Love You All Over Again
In general, we wanted to make a record that was inspired by the same flavours that inspired the original tunng album released in 2005. So, Electronica, Lo-fi, Folk music and fantasy songs. It was really refreshing to just make a ‘tunng” record with no agenda other than we wanted it to be rooted back to those original influences.
For 20 years, we have carved a sound that has forged its own path. It is multi-genre infused, but we know what it is to sound like tunng. We didn’t know that at the beginning, it was all an experiment. Over the years, this sound has varied and twisted, but at the roots, there is always a flavour of what Sam and I made on that first album. ‘Love You All Over Again’ is our way of going full circle.
The recording process started with Phil and I in my Margate Studio (where the whole album was conceived and produced) Then Sam arrived and brought the (incredible) fantasy Song –ness to them, Then Martin with Percussion Clarinets and flavours, then Becky with her Becky tones; Ash was constantly sending me guitar, Banjo and Saw parts from his Somerset Studio.
1. Everything Else
This track started out as a guitar part that Ash sent me which he had done in response to a WhatsApp app video of me and Phil jamming on machines on the first day in the studio. That machine Jam was never recorded or ever became anything, but the guitar part inspired this whole track.
One part is in 5/4 and one in 4/4; together, they make this polyrhythmic mega loop. I then brought in the Piano chords, which are in 6/4. It really should be a complete mess, but somehow, it’s a magical meld.
When Sam came to the studio, he started writing lyrics, as he does so immediately and so brilliantly, with only the suggestion of Tunng are 20 years old for a brief; all the lyrics on this record, to me, are very nostalgic, taking in a life led.
2. Didn’t Know Why
This is a track that Phil and I started together as an instrumental, as we did with a lot on this album. Phil brought his MPC in with various wonk rhythms and crackles. This had a different guitar part on at the time. When Sam arrived, I changed the guitar part to this new double guitars over three chords; it feels endless and very tunng, dark but then warm and melancholic. Sam heard this and immediately brought back our murderous character ‘Jenny”, who has appeared on two previous albums (Comments of the Inner Chorus and Songs You Make at Night). The chorus of this song has inspired all of the artwork by Lily Buchanan for this album.
3. Sixes
This was made with Sam and I one morning; I remember neither of us talking. Sam was on the piano, I had these chords, and my machines were running on their own course; they do that. You can feel the morning in it.
4. Snails
This was one I wrote. It has multiple meanings, I suppose. There’s a personal message in there about my wedding vows; I mentioned snails a lot in those vows! But it’s taken on meaning beyond romance and relationships. The lyric for the album title was lifted from this track, and in this context, it’s about tunng being back as a family within our original boundaries, bringing the love to all who have been a part of our journey over 20 years.
5. Laundry
This song really transports us to a parallel world. It’s a good world, pink-tinged and blurred. I love the change halfway through, the darkness of the bass line with the floaty-ness of the flutes; the repeat of ‘yes it really feels.. as wonderful as this’ stays with you as a mantra for guidance.
6. Drifting Memory Station
This was made with Martin and myself on a late-night studio session. The title is taken from a new studio toy that we used to create the rhythms and piano loops; it’s made by SOMA Laboratories, and it’s called the Drifting Memory Station. This incredible machine rearranges loops and creates generative Rhythms. The title completely sums up the nostalgia of this album. Ash added more guitar and saw; Phil found the vinyl sample of rare birds, which really brought the magic.
We have always had instrumentals on our records, they allow you to drift into our sonics and the previous lyrics from the other songs on the record and be mulled for a while.
7. Deep Underneath
This song was written and hatched by Ash and Sam, who file-shared between Sweden and Somerset. It arrived to me fully formed, without the textures and Rhythms. I then brought more guitar and all the gubbins. They had sat on this song right up until the last week of me mixing the record If I hadn’t reminded Ash that Sam told me he did a song with you, I don’t think it would have made the record, and it’s arguably the best song!!
8. Levitate A little
Sam and I took a December walk in Margate to get some lunch. On that walk, I said, let’s go back and write a pure folk song. We got back to the studio, it had been raining, we sat down for an hour and a half. I found this guitar part, and Sam sat with a pen and a notepad. I played my part over and over; then he said, “ok I’ve got these lyrics and top line”; it was the full song. Sam can do that seemingly effortlessly. We then recorded it, Sam, on a mic outside the studio door and me inside with the guitar. This went down live and is the take on the record, which we then embellished. I love the imagery in these lyrics. And that opening line. “Twenty Ravens in the basement, eating crisps and drinking beer”. The guitar tuning was in Drop D and inspired by a Richard Thompson song.
9. Yeekeys
What a banger!! This was one that Phil and I put together as an instrumental. Phil had the main synth riff on his MPC and the swung rhythm. I found the guitar melody, which became the song. It was late at night. We were drinking. We danced. Then Sam came in and did what he does; Ash brought the Banjo, bringing back the original tunng vibes, Marty brought the mega seed shakers, but Becky’s part is pure hook!
10. Coat hangers
Made with sounds of Ashley and I inside a wardrobe on tour, these things happen. I have to say I have no memory of this incident in a hotel room, but Ash found a recording of the evidence. We still don’t know which year. It sounds like we were having a very beautiful time, as we have done for 20 years. I love everyone in this band so much. We are a family of misfits, and we have travelled the world in a small van together multiple times. I smile every time I think about little nonsense moments like this, of which there were many, many, many in various hotel rooms and backstage.
Order the album: https://fulltimehobby.ffm.to/whyisthecolourofthesky
March 2025 UK & EU Headline Tour Dates
tickets: https://tunng.co.uk/live/
5th – UK | Brighton – Komedia
7th – NL | Utrecht – Ekko
9th – DE | Berlin – Silent Green
10th – DE | Cologne – Gebaude 9
11th – BE | Bruges – Cactus Cafe
12th – FR | Paris – Le Hasard Ludqiue
14th – UK | Bristol – The Lantern
15th – UK | London – Omeara
17th – UK | Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
18th – UK | Nottingham – Metronome
19th – UK | Glasgow – Room2
20th – UK | Hebden Bridge – Trades Club
21st – IE | Dublin – Whelan’s