“You have to find time at some point to dedicating that space and saying, ‘Nothing else can happen today because I need to turn this idea into a demo.’”
When curating the tracks for Darkness Calling: Volume II, we came across Twin Replica, a Bucks/Oxford-based synth duo that absolutely blew us away. Yes, the formula is somewhat common: a female vocalist with a simultaneously delicate-yet-powerful voice backed by a wall of synths and drum machine flourishes. But where Twin Replica shines is the absolute quality of their work. These guys should not be an indie group. It’s an injustice that will hopefully be righted sometime soon.
The production on all four of their Spotify tracks is top-notch. More importantly, each song (particularly their latest, “Known”), has the power to give you goosebumps. Vocalist Melanie J. Austin has a voice that truly soars, while Leigh Taylor’s synths waver between dark minimalism and bright, 80’s-tinged euphoria. This isn’t hyperbole — this is some serious music.
We included “Crystal” on our playlist for its dark ambiance and Kate Bush-meets-Mezzanine vibes. The song came out in 2018, and even the aforementioned “Known” is a year old at this point. With a relative lack of information available online, we felt compelled to reach out to the members of Twin Replica and learn more. Thankfully, Leigh Taylor and Melanie J. Austin were kind enough to take part in this Inter-Review. Read on below.
DARKNESS CALLING: Thank you for speaking with us! How are you both doing in these weird times? Has it been hard to stay productive in the pandemic, or has it actually led to more productivity?
TWIN REPLICA: We're both okay; getting a little used to this new “normal” now, but I'd [Leigh Taylor] say we've been productive. Especially [at the beginning of quarantine], it was easier to find time to sit down and work on stuff when we had all that time. After a few weeks, lockdown was getting a little bit tedious. It's really hard to write when you're not in the mood. It's almost like you have to be happy to write a sad song.
Both of us are back at work in some capacity. It's like being a kid when you've had all that time off over summer — you really, really don't want to go back yet.
DARKNESS CALLING: We truly love your sound. It’s simultaneously fresh while also calling to mind the best of classic 80's synthpop — and even 90's trip-hop. A great combination. Could you speak to us a little about some of your influences?
TWIN REPLICA: Thank you! That's just what we've gone for. And 90's trip-hop? That is interesting; we've not considered that. It's incredible what you hear in your songs and what someone else can pick out. It proves music is not always a “hive mind.”
So, influences… We love the synth/retrowave resurgence that happened over the last decade, and that's been exciting. There's a track by VHS Dreams called “Nightdrive,” and — to me — it’s the pinnacle of this sound. There's a ton of influences that have crept their way in: bands like Austra, IAMAMIWHOAMI, Maribou State, MØ, Daughter, and Chelsea Jade have all had an influence over the pop element [of our work].
We do like the widespread soundscapes of MMOTHS, Com Truise, Lorn, Holy Other, pothOles — so much of their stuff feels like they couldn't spread the stereo field far enough. Of course, being a synth-pop duo, you can't escape some more well-known influences like Kate Bush, Moby, Bat For Lashes, and The xx, to name a few.
“It’s incredible what you hear in your songs and what someone else can pick out. It proves music is not always a ‘hive mind.’”
DARKNESS CALLING: What is your process like working together? Does Leigh handle the instrumentation while Melanie writes the lyrics? I couldn't help but notice you've only had 4 songs released on Spotify over the last couple of years. Do you find that the songwriting process is a bit laborious, or does "real life" get in the way?
TWIN REPLICA: Yeah, you've nailed it — Leigh on music and Mel on lyrics. We stick to what we're comfortable with. Finding time to sit and write can be difficult. The whole rhetoric that “we need money for bills and work keeps a roof over us” isn't a lie, and you could say “real life” gets in the way.
You have to find time at some point to dedicating that space and saying, “Nothing else can happen today because I need to turn this idea into a demo.” It works, but don't force it if you're not feeling it. Those “not feeling it today” days mount up and guilt you a bit, but sadly we're not living in a magical utopia, so it's full-time work and part-time songwriting for now. Also, we live about 40 miles apart, so not being able to write with each other hasn't really affected us whilst COVID’s around. Google Drive has been an excellent advocate for our music melting pot.
DARKNESS CALLING: Are there plans to release more music soon; perhaps a full LP?
TWIN REPLICA: Yes, definitely. One thing we've worked on the most during the pandemic is an EP (couldn't quite find time for an LP). We had to step up and learn how to mix properly, take apart your own songs, piece them together, really look at structure and how other artists do it. (I should say most of the songs were written prior to lockdown.)
It's been a real educational experience. It's like if you learn to play guitar; you can now pick out the guitar with clarity. It's exactly the same with mixing — you can start to hear layers. It's amazing. On the flipside, we've worked on the songs a lot, but we have no idea where to place them for sound. We know who our influences are, but I think other people will surprise us with their answers.
Aside from the EP taking up our efforts, we're looking at working on a few covers for our YouTube channel. We used to make videos every now and then whilst we were building up a long enough setlist. As no one can gig, we're pretty much in the same situation now, so expect a video or two soon.
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