TN:39

MYSTERY JETS & MATT TWAITES

Album: A Billion Heartbeats

In this episode John makes multiple trips to Brain Yard Studios to catch up with Mystery Jets frontman Blaine Harrison and producer Matt Twaites to talk about how they recorded and produced the album A Billion Heartbeats. 

Recorded in the room where the album was conceived, Blaine and Matt give us full access to the Mystery Jets creative process, from tales of protests, marches and relief work, to their quest to not sound too much like the Backstreet Boys. We get to hear an array of demos and phone recordings including the sound of Matt’s unborn son’s heartbeat which was crafted into a drum loop. 

Listen to find out what how Blaine ended up in an Icelandic Spa with Bjork, what images he looks at to get the best vocal take and who he turns to when struggling with lyrics.  

Songs discussed: Screwdriver, Wrong Side of the Tracks, A Billion Heartbeats