Metronomy’s Anna Prior tells us how Robyn, Björk, Honey Dijon & more influenced her debut solo EP
Since 2011, Anna Prior has kept the beat in Metronomy and has been one of the keys to them becoming one of the best live bands, dance rock or otherwise, of the last decade. The group are on pause at the moment and Prior has taken the opportunity explore her own musical path, which reflects her growing obsession with dance music and nightlife culture, as well as her desire to be a part of it without all the indulgences that are usually associated with it. These seven songs are much more purely dance music than Metronomy have been in years, maybe ever, with a few killer deep house bangers, including “Up2U,” “Fall Back” and “Tech Não.” She says Almost Love became “a sort of love letter to myself, a way of shoving emotions into musical boxes and finally letting some things go.”
Listen to the EP, and watch the video for “Nervous” (directed by The Horrors’ Tom Furse), below.
Anna made us a list of 10 songs that inspired Almost Love, featuring Robyn, Kylie Minogue, Björk, Kate Bush, Burial, Honey Dijon and more. Read her list and commentary below.
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ANNA PRIOR (METRONOMY) – 10 SONGS THAT INFLUENCED ‘ALMOST LOVE’
1. One More Fluorescent Rush – Avalon Emerson
This is the first track I ever heard from Avalon Emerson. It just stopped me in my tracks. It’s so exciting and just one endless crescendo of clever sequencing.
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2. Hyper-Ballad – Bjork
I came so late to Bjork. I’m actually quite annoyed at myself that I wasn’t listening to her music in my teens. This song feels like it’s breathing – the sounds and layers are incredibly ASMRy.
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3. Missing U – Robyn
I listened to this track on repeat for about six months. It’s got the perfect ratio of drama to arpeggiator. The hi-hat chokes are perfect too.
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4. Architect’s Dream – Kate Bush
AGAIN, another artist I came to far far too late. I suppose this is where I started to enjoy spoken word in songs. This song is like butter to me. The percussive groove is sensational.
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5. Loops For Healing – Octo Octa
I love the subtle bass line in this track. It’s a classic trick, but the off-beat open hi hats just make me want to dance but sway at the same time. All you need is a few simple chords, but Octo Octa knows how to pick them – it’s a rave in a hotel lobby kinda music.
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6. Work (feat. David Giles II, Core.Ece, Mike Dunn) – Honey Dijon
It’s funky, it’s hypnotic, it’s hooky and has that spoken word element that i’m very much enjoying right now.
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7. Time – Arca
One of the more “accessible” tracks on KiCk i, but it’s so arresting – I feel possessed whenever I hear it. There’s a version of it on YouTube called ‘Time (But you’re in a cathedral)’ and someone’s just stuck a huge reverb over the whole track and it’s glorious.
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8. Punish! – Mörmaid
The best producer to come out of Norway lately is Mörmaid. This song is so sexy, it’s femme NIN.
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9. Better The Devil You Know – Kylie Minogue
Where to start? SO many hooks in one song. This is pure pop and I can’t get enough of that chorus.
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10. Come Down To Us – Burial
This whole EP is so imposing. This one track is 13 minutes long and is such a journey. The use of foley in Burial’s music is iconic – the layers upon layers of vinyl crackle, tape noise and the music just being wildly unquantized in nature is weirdly brave. It should be the national anthem of London.
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