Loverboy, sees the artist pivot from the experimental back-catalog and dive-deep into a fully-fledged euphoria of bass’n breaks. Perhaps to describe in one word: Energy.
A celebration of breaks and rave culture
Planet Mu kick off their 2023 release schedule with Lara Rix-Martin aka Meemo Comma. Their third album Loverboy, sees the artist pivot from the experimental back-catalog and dive-deep into a fully-fledged euphoria of bass’n breaks. Perhaps to describe in one word: Energy. The nature in tempo exudes adrenaline to keep moving, even as the debut single and album opener “Cloudscape,” vocally enchanting you through mesmerizing sways—your body instinctively encourages you follow suit as one loses themselves to the dance.
The sounds of the 90’s is channelled, yet not verbatim, which is exactly what continues to enthrall as we rapidly unfold this new age classic. Widespread in sub-genres, we garner signatures from areas such as broken beat, house, hardcore, jungle, techno and even a smidgen of braindance—all concisely put together in real form.
Throughout we hear elements from Lara’s prior works too such as Neon Genesis: Soul Into Matter², (Planet Mu, 2021) integrating itself in the form of melodic intrigue by voice. From here we can depict sensations that cross the backbone of earlier decades dance music with Meemo Comma’s own spin. Ultimately what the listener will take from Loverboy, is that it is a whole lot of fun—as a front-to-back listen you can really let loose!
Transporting yourself directly to the centre of a darkened club, perhaps Room 2, inhibitions left at home as you and your mates have decided it’s going to be a big one—coincidentally everyone else there is also on the same tip as groups mix and congregate in the smoking areas before heading back in for some more. This record is a snapshot into the nightlife many of us have bonded with.
On large systems it can strongly stand on its own feet as anthem themes roll on in tracks such as, “Loneheath,” the title track, and personal favorite “Andro.”
Commemorating the club (be it official or otherwise unregulated venue), Loverboy, is a celebration of breaks and rave culture that whilst bathed in nostalgia is also reflective of the next generations revitalization on discovering sounds prior.
Igloo had the chance to speak to Meemo Comma where they discussed their influences from the breakcore scene, the power of narrative & YouTube binging 90’s dance classics.
Igloo :: Lara! Thank you so much for joining Igloo for an interview. First off, congratulations on Loverboy—the backbone of this record that strikes me upfront is the focus on beats/breaks. Compared to previous works on Planet Mu and your label Objects Limited, we would hear a peppering of these upcoming sounds surrounded by more of an electro-acoustic / experimental ambient environment. Can you talk us through some of the influences and what led you to writing this record?
Lara Rix-Martin :: My first introduction to electronic music was via the breakcore scene (as discussed in previous interviews), although my music doesn’t sound like breakcore of course, but it was foundational to me as a teenager. So I would say my roots are in breaks.
I started making music myself after experiencing a concert of a selection of works including Laurie Spiegel at a night called ‘Deep Listening’, it was mind bending but also felt like something I could be a part of.
The side step into adding breaks and a dance element was a mixture of decisions; firstly have you done an ambient set standing in a room full of people watching you? It’s actually a form of torture. Even a short (by neoclassical electric standards) seven minute track is so painful you want to gouge your eyes out by the 70th second. Maybe that’s just me. In any case, I have really enjoyed playing tracks with beats and that’s the spark of it all.
I guess I also miss the club experience, I don’t do it nearly often enough and I think we all want something that we can let loose to. Although I’m not certain I could ever truly make club music.
Igloo :: I too was introduced to breakcore in my teenage years, a mixture of chasing electronic music that was faster and faster whilst captivating with it’s intricacies. Definitely something about burning that excess adrenaline at night too! There was a good summer where our local death metal band supported Ebola as I was riding my Atari Teenage Riot / Digital Hardcore phase and I just thought it was all rather exhilarating. It was also around this time we had mysterious CDR mixes knocking around with black markered titles such as “Double Drop Mix” that would get generously passed from friend to friend as a source of introduction before heading to gigs / nights out. Did you have any similar fun experiences and do you have any go-to artists from breakcore that were perhaps part of your nostalgic trip into getting into the mood for Loverboy?
Lara Rix-Martin :: Honestly the years between 2005 to 2009 are somewhat of a blur, I was fifteen when I started getting into electronic music. It first happened when I was going to house parties and I was into more rock (although, I was very much into my Ibiza club mix compilations as a kid) then I heard Venetian Snares and similarly had CDRs with Gabba and various hardcore artists there. Titles including but by no means ending with “headfuck mix” or whatever. It was when I was on Myspace I started talking to Henry (Shitmat) and the Wrong Music crew, I would go along to their shows and just feel so at home with it all. I was by far the youngest and quite often the only ‘female’ there but I found my people.
I remember going to amazing nights out across the UK, but especially loved Drop Beats not Bombs night in Birmingham Custard Factory, must have been 2006. It was a huge venue with a plethora of different genres and collectives, not all from the electronic music scene. I then became more into Grime and Dubstep from about 2007 onwards.
For me the music was oddly calming, it was like how they talk about playing certain tones for tinnitus to match it. It helps it go away, the speed and the sounds were like the match of my thoughts and inner monologue, it drowned it all out. I thought it was the various drugs that did it but soon realized it was the music. My life was going in a different direction away from clubs though, I was planning on training to be a jockey when I was 14/15. I was going to move to Newmarket and do an apprenticeship there but had to make the hard choice if that life was for me. I could never commit to one thing (my greatest weakness in life) so I thought I’d just do a university course instead and have the link to my friends and my newly formed identity.
Igloo :: Narrative is another familiarity we get to hear a lot of in your work. Is this an important part of your expression as an artist and how did you navigate yourself through Loverboy?
I stripped it all back and went to the core of what being an artist is, enjoying music ::
Lara Rix-Martin :: I have built the very thing that may be my undoing. With previous albums I had very clear powerful narratives (if not, at times a little far fetched. Jews in space? with robots? WITH ANIME? etc.) I did then start to feel I could only write albums with these strong narratives and used it as an excuse to not write at all. Then I stripped it all back and went to the core of what being an artist is, enjoying music.
I went on a huge YouTube binge reminding myself of the classics that got me into this, from Orbital to A Guy Called Gerald and just the 90’s chart dance classics that were so vital to the massive scene.
After doing this I realied the story is the new revival that is happening to those much younger than I, as well as those amazing nights out, free of caring about genre, gender and other classifications (unless grade As!! ha ha!!)
I started to just get into a character with it and have fun, I think I still needed help to write by getting into a character of a story but it was more a feeling rather than a whole complex scene being built.
Igloo :: We met briefly at the μ-Ziq Magic Pony Ride album launch, where you also performed some of the Loverboy material combined with your earlier work. I have a memory of the euphoric vocal musings of Tzimtzum (Planet Mu, 2021) heading into an outright jump up notion. Do you see future Meemo Comma tracks melding these further together?
Lara Rix-Martin :: That was a great night because it was the first time I heard Loverboy out loud and it was the realization of how fun these tracks are. “Tzimtzum” is a particularly beefy, noisy track which I am still so proud of. Many have asked if I am the singer on any of my tracks and I am absolutely not, I’m afraid to say, no one wants a flat nasal wannabe opera singer on their tracks. I certainly don’t. In any case, yes maybe, I’m not sure what will come out of me but I tend towards the dramatic and noisy on the edge of something very emotional.
Igloo :: Aside from your output on Planet Mu, you also head up the label Objects Limited—after what seemed like a small hiatus, last year saw Oram Award Winner Lia Mice join with their triumph “Sweat Like Caramel.” Is this a signal that the label is gearing up for more releases too?
Lara Rix-Martin :: I was planning on releasing a couple of artists this year including the fantastic A’Bear but I just don’t have the time or the resources now. The music industry for us has changed so much since Covid, but even more than when I first started the label in 2016. I realized I needed to focus on being an artist myself because running a label and being an artist (as well as being a parent and having a part-time job) was too much.
I still love to do A&R and background stuff though for Planet Mu, I work with Mike on writing some of the blurbs as well as finding new artists (including DJ Girl and Nondi also coming out this year). I’m proud of the work I’ve done before and I’ll still keep adding to the scene in different ways.
Igloo :: The Loverboy album launch party is kicking off in Brighton with a pretty juicy lineup at The Brunswick on the 24th, coinciding with the release date—does the rest of the year see more dates in the pipeline?
Lara Rix-Martin :: I have got some gigs coming up but I’m always keen to do more! So if you’re interested let me know ;) … I’ve been working on different live sets for different line ups depending on who I play with but I’m really enjoying playing the new stuff out. People have been having fun and getting really into it. It’s been really nice to get great feedback.
Igloo :: Lastly, a lot of our readers are producers and artists themselves, so we usually like to ask each interviewee the ‘gear’ question. Can you share any details on what you use for producing?
Lara Rix-Martin :: I am actually looking into getting some more gear actually, thinking of those Novation pads but I worry it won’t work as well with Logic (if you have an answer do write to me, I’m very online) I use my trusty Roli Seaboard. I’m always getting people to feel it because it has the sensation of (I assume) a whale or something slightly chubby and rubbery. It’s fantastic for getting the most out of a sound as it has “5D technology” (can you tell I work in sales?). I particularly like the Roli seaboard because it is forgiving for those who aren’t good musicians like myself who are too cumbersome for REAL keys.
If you are based in and around Brighton & Hove, head on down to the album launch party at The Brunswick on the 24th February. Meemo Comma will be performing alongside support from Planet Mu label owner Mike Paradinas aka µ-Ziq, Mille Plateaux’s latest signing Ibrahim Alfa Jnr and a rare outing for Xylitol. At £5 a ticket that sounds like an absolute tear-up of a Friday night.
For a first chance to hear more Loverboy, ahead of release day, be sure to tune into RTM.fm on Thursday 23rd February 17:00 GMT for Meemo Comma’s guest mix hosted by chromasy.
Loverboy is available on Planet Mu. [Bandcamp | Site]
