Sounds Like These 2021

Sounds Like These is a regular podcast hosted by ICMP’s Lara Magnelli. 

Featuring a different ICMP tutor discussing their music careers, offering insight on their experiences both in the classroom and the wider music industry.  Guests explore their musical journeys, showbiz anecdotes, as well as matters of equality, diversity, and inclusion in the music business and beyond, with a common denominator at heart: their devotion to music.

Here we pull out some of the 2021's episodes for you in our end of year round-up... 

Audrey Riley 

Audrey Riley is a cellist, composer, arranger and Musical Director with over 30 years of experience, currently teaching on our BMus in Popular Music Performance and Masters in Popular Music Performance programmes. 

In the interview, Audrey discusses some of the work she’s credited on with the likes of Coldplay and the Foo Fighters and how it was to contribute to their hit tracks and albums.

She also discusses her love of teaching and how this role gives her the opportunity to challenge her beliefs around music and more. 

Jason Bavanandan

Jason discusses his career, his time with indie band Battle, experiences as a songwriter for hire and his 2015 record, which was the first cinematically released album.

Other topics to feature include how the industry has changed since Jason began his musical journey and challenging assumptions around ethnicity and musical genre. He also discusses the most effective ways to develop a portfolio career.  

Charlie Thomas

Charlie started his career in the hospitality sector, before realising music was what he wanted to pursue.

In this conversation, Charlie discusses how he managed to land his first internship at Britannia Row, the studios owned by Pink Floyd and has never looked back since. He is now based at Konk, the studios opened by the legendary band The Kinks.

Lia Mice

Lia is a multidisciplinary artist and producer who joined the ICMP faculty for the 20/21 academic year. She went from studying a BA in filmmaking to becoming a performer and now also an instrument designer.

Here, she explores how she designed a number of instruments, including a one-handed violin, as part of her response to music lessons in schools. The same instrument is often taught to the whole class, excluding those with disabilities. 

Justin Boreland

Justin's musical life saw him join Bomb the Bass at the age of 16, then sign with iconic US label, Sire Records just a year later. 

Justin discusses how his production and songwriting talents have led him to be involved in more than 20 UK top 20 hits while he has also spent much of his career working on development initiatives for at-risk youth and ex-offenders. 

Mwen

Mwen is a sound designer, producer, composer, DJ and Ableton tutor, currently teaching on some of ICMP's evening courses and degree programmes.

In the interview, Mwen discussed their musical background, various projects and the need for music creators to diversify their work to benefit from different income streams. 

Mwen also shared their love for music education as a self-taught talent now in a position to offer insight and expertise from different music industry experiences. 

Xan Blacq

In the interview, Xan explores his 25+ year music industry career, starting from his biggest inspirations when he was growing up in Nigeria (such as Michael Jackson and Fela Kuti) to joining Amy Winehouse's band as a backing vocalist and keyboard player.

His career has seen him work as a session musician, songwriter and composer for TV and film alongside his educational work. 

Catherine Anne Davies

Catherine teaches on ICMP’s BA in Songwriting, MA in Songwriting and MA in Creative Music Production courses and has enjoyed a major 18 months with the release of her critically acclaimed and Top 40 denting second album, ‘The Art of Losing’ and her collaborative record with Bernard Butler, ‘In Memory of My Feelings’. 

Alongside her solo releases, Catherine has worked with a number of bands including the Manic Street Preachers and toured the world with Simple Minds.