8 Tracks: Of Harpsichord/Baroque Pop Music With E.M.M.A.

Music

Following a pair of EPs for The Astral Plane, E.M.M.A. returns to Coyote Records this month after her remix of Spokes' 'Ritalin' back in 2015. Her new two-tracker Mindmaze / Pumpkin Emoji is a pretty bonkers affair – the first tune (which began life as a special for Mumdance) is described by E.M.M.A. herself as both "medieval funky" and "a homage to the Encarta 95 CD-ROM", while the second one similarly punctures the pretentions of dour, straight-faced club producers.

E.M.M.A. also co-hosts the Angel Food show on NTS alongside Aimee Cliff, and runs the nationwide Producer Girls workshop series which is designed to encourage more young women to take up electronic music production.

Using the baroque melody of 'Mindmaze' as a jump-off point, E.M.M.A. has put together the following 8 Tracks selection for us, so dig in below…

Mindmaze / Pumpkin Emoji is out 10th Nov on Coyote Records. Pre-order it here.

Image credit: Rosaline Shanavaz

LISTEN

Edwin Astley - Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased) Theme

This has gotta be one of my favourite songs. I love the drama of 1960s theme tunes – especially one where the main character is a ghost in a white suit. I think they generally set the bar in terms of what I would strive to achieve in my music.

Edwin Astley - Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased) Theme

This has gotta be one of my favourite songs. I love the drama of 1960s theme tunes – especially one where the main character is a ghost in a white suit. I think they generally set the bar in terms of what I would strive to achieve in my music.
Handel - Sarabande In D Minor

First heard this on a Levi’s advert in the ’90s, learnt it on the piano when I was about 10.
Greensleeves

Again this is something I played a lot as a child. Can’t remember where I first came across it but I guess this must have been around the same time I was playing Mindmaze and doing piano lessons, so it’s all influenced me.
The Stranglers - Golden Brown

Needs no explanation.
Moody Blues - Nights In White Satin

I’ve got a lot of time for all these melodies. Also the song itself feels like it couldn’t possibly be recreated in our times, it’s like a time capsule of human emotions from another time.
Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade Of Pale

I saw a dad in a people carrier blasting this out on a hot summer’s day and it was one of the most powerful things I’ve ever seen.
Lana Del Rey - Video Games

I didn’t know this was baroque pop until I googled it because I couldn’t think of 8. But an absolute classic and doesn’t surprise me that that’s probably why I like it.
The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations Sessions

I know these lads are classed as baroque pop so I assume this song is. I wanted to drop this “sessions” video in ‘cos it blew my mind how many variations of the same song they did and how great they all are.