Marconi Union
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Marconi Union are Richard Talbot and James Crossley, a British musical duo with strong links to the Manchester based DOTCA arts collective.
They are notable for incorporating elements of electronica, ambient, jazz and dub into their music, and a tendency to make records that are conceptually-based. Frequent comparisons are drawn between Marconi Union and bands such as Talk Talk, Sigur Rós and Boards of Canada.
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[edit] History
Their first album, Under Wires and Searchlights, appeared on the small British independent label Ochre Records, drawing attention for its combination of synthesizers, guitars, strings and musical soundscapes. This album has subsequently become sought after and copies often change for considerable amounts of money, it was followed with a sustained period of silence only punctuated by a couple of remixes. They were then picked up in 2005 by All Saints Records (a label strongly associated with electronic musician Brian Eno) releasing a new album, Distance, which featured a darker, more electronic sound and garnered even more publicity, meeting with widespread acclaim, especially in the US where it became one of the most successful ambient albums in recent years. Unusually for an album of this kind it received widespread radio play on mainstream radio and several tracks were prominently featured on popular US television shows.
Marconi Union have always veered towards reclusiveness, rarely granting interviews or playing live. None of their releases gives any details about the personnel and little is known of their background. They seem content to operate outside the mainstream, preferring to pursue their own course. Recently their public profile has become higher, playing at the 2006 Big Chill Festival and Eden Sessions alongside such mainstream acts as Snow Patrol and Goldfrapp, at Cornwall's Eden Project. They granted their first interview in October 2006 for the widely syndicated American radio show Echoes, where they also played only their second live performance. Their tracks have also appeared on several compilations albums, and they have done a number of remixes for other artists.
They went to ground in 2007 and began recording their third album "A Lost Connection". Originally slated for release on All Saints, the album was delayed by contractual problems with Warner Bros following their takeover. Frustrated by the delays and now with apparently two full length albums recorded and awaiting release, Talbot & Crossley decided to take matters into their own hands and utilize technology in July 2008 they launch their digital label MU Transmissions which sells their music via their own website www.marconiunion.com the first release being the long awaited A Lost Connection.
Tracks from A Lost Connection were again widely used on TV and film and it was apparently a considerable success for Marconi Union and was well supported by their fanbase. However, in May 2009 the Marconi Union website announced the pending release of a new album, Tokyo on the German Binemusic label. Whether this is a permanent retreat from their policy of only making their music available from their website or is a response to pressure for physical releases is unclear. Characteristically Marconi Union are keeping quiet.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Under Wires and Searchlights (Ochre Records, 2003)
- Distance (All Saints, 2005)
- A Lost Connection (MU Transmissions, 2008)
- Tokyo (Binemusic, 2009)
