one track mind – Page 4 – The Predatory Wasp

The band’s Jonathan Mieburg celebrates the work of Soviet-Armenian composer Aram Khatchaturian.

The premise of One Track Mind is pretty simple: I ask artists to pick one track that means a lot to them – either something they’ve discovered recently, something that’s been with them for years, or one that reminds them of a specific time in their life or career – and tell me what makes it so special to them. I get to talk to the artists I love, and they get to talk about the artists they love. Love all round!

Following the inaugural feature from Nation of Language’s Ian Devaney, we’re with another of my favourite bands for round two: Loma.

Loma released their second album, Don’t Shy Away, earlier this year: a stunningly brilliant body of work the moves from the propulsive, dream-pop of tracks like Half Silences and choral theatrics of Elliptical Days, to the ghostly, folk-like strains of the title track: undoubtedly one of the most crushingly beautiful singles of the year.

For his selection, Loma’s Jonathan Mieburg – who many will know from his work with Shearwater – has picked out an epic, haunting piece of classical music from one of the most celebrated films of all time.

The US synth-pop bands’s Ian Devaney kicks off our new series by waxing lyrical about The Beach Boys.

Over the past decade or so of interviewing artists, one thing I’ve found is that it’s often difficult for them to talk about their own music. After all, music is the great communicator: if you need to explain the story behind its creation, or the meaning behind its lyrical content, then you’re in danger of missing the point. Conversely – given the chance – they more often that not love being effusive about other people’s work. One Track Mind is an opportunity for them to do just that.

The premise is pretty simple: I ask artists to pick one track that means a lot to them – either something they’ve discovered recently, something that’s been with them for years, or one that reminds them of a specific time in their life or career – and tell me what makes it so special to them. I get to talk to the artists I love, and they get to talk about the artists they love. Love all round!

Kicking off the series is Ian Devaney from Nation of Language, who are arguably my favourite new musical discovery of 2020. Their album Introduction, Presence has brought me an inordinate amount of joy this year, and I’m extremely grateful to Ian for taking the time to speak to me.

For his selection, Ian chose a late-era Beach Boys song that deals in melancholy and nostalgia, themes that are also present in much of Nation of Language’s music.