What was the first song you played on repeat?
'Sade' - 'Ordinary Love'
A: We both have really strong early memories of music. Mine has to be Sade 'Ordinary Love'. I remember that so much from growing up & it's stuck with me. The music, her voice, the feeling is so addictive to me.
A song from your favourite album?
My Bloody Valentine - 'To Here Knows When'
D: It's hard to pick a single favourite album but Loveless by My Bloody Valentine is definitely up there. Gonna choose 'To Here Knows When' for this. The way it's all mixed down is incredible - so deep. It's like a 5 minute ambient noise record masquerading as a pop song. The way it sort of melts down halfway through and just rides the crest. Really such a beautiful track from a faultless album.
Song you wish you had written?
Sinead O'Connor - 'Nothing Compares 2 U' (written by Prince)
A: This song really hits hard and it's very minimal in every way. The way this came out with that video too was so crazy. Completely different for the time. Couldn't be more direct at all. Add the fact that Prince actually wrote it - incredible.
A lyric that has inspired you?
This Mortal Coil - 'Late Night' (written by Syd Barrett)
"And the way you kiss will always be a very special thing to me"
D: Syd Barrett had a real skill for saying a lot with a little. It's definitely as much about how things are said as well as what's exactly said in music, especially pop, and with his songs even more so than usual. We've always found the This Mortal Coil version to be a really touching song, and the simplicity of that lyric carried so much weight. It's just perfect.
Four new bands you are listening to now, and why?
Jasmine - Jai Paul
A: I guess a lot of people are holding out for the fabled official Jai Paul album - us too. There's a raw pop approach with his stuff that's so emotive and direct-feeling that you just sink in right away. All the demos released so far have been so special. Jai, where are you?
Hot Head - Death Grips
D: We haven't seen the Grips live yet but are looking forward to catching them soon. All their tracks are super-energising and as a band they're really generous in the way they're focused on distilling that energy in an ultra-pure way. It's refreshing to hear something so real. You can feel it. We're excited to see where they take it next.
Two Weeks - FKA Twigs
A: FKA twigs is a really special rare kind of artist. The whole thing from videos to stage and records is like one artform. We're really drawn to that in what we do - that weird hybrid thing that comes across between all the pieces - sound, images, videos… it's so powerful and strange. Definitely like a type of art in itself.
Oh Baby - Micachu And The Shapes
D: Everything we've heard by Mica Levi is pure gold. She's a real force across a real range of forms. The last record with the Shapes is so pared down and full of feeling. It has this rare slow motion, heavy blissed out vibe like some of those strange private press 60s psych records by bands like US69 or even like early Pink Floyd. Pretty amazing.