In an Interview with Rolling Stone, Taylor Skye and Georgia Ellery of London Avant-pop duo Jockstrap revealed that one of the year’s most eagerly anticipated debut albums almost never was. The duo were dining at a vegan Chinese restaurant in North London with British rapper, Slowthai when Syke’s backpack was snatched.
Skye told the magazine, “Ty chased the guy down and got the laptop back.” The bag contained the only copy of the album that he and Ellery had spent the last few years working on. There was no backup anywhere. Because of this, the acclaimed British rapper got a special mention in the liner notes for their forthcoming album I Love You Jennifer B.
Skye and Ellery met in 2016 at London’s Guildhall of Music & Drama, and Jockstrap fuses Skye’s electronic production with Ellery’s songwriting. Since making their debut in late 2017 with their first single, “I Want Another Affair,” which later appeared on their 2018 debut EP, Love Is the Key to the City, the pair has been on the ascendancy; Rolling Stone saying, “Over those two EPs — and their corresponding, exceptionally out-there remix projects — Jockstrap have honed an adventurous, irreverent approach to music that doesn’t sacrifice songcraft or feeling”.
The band have released two singles from the forthcoming album, “Concrete Over Water”, a six-minute epic that “drifts from tender ambience to orchestral splendor to dancefloor ecstasy”, and “Glasgow” – about a trip to the Scottish city and an unforgettable night at the famous Sub Club. You can watch the videos for both the songs below.
On their songwriting dynamic, Skye told the magazine: “I don’t really talk to Georgia about what the songs are about, or try to figure out, lyrically, what’s going on. I’ll just go with my instinct. We both like listening to lots of music as we make music, so I have ideas that I want to try. And usually, if Georgia’s song is good, and my idea is good, regardless of how you might think they work, or don’t work together, we usually make it work. It’s quite nice having two interesting things going on at the same time.”
Ellery continued saying that she enjoys the results of giving up control, saying, “That’s what I want to hear — the surprise. That sells it for me. It’s a first-time-listener reaction, and that’s what you’re gonna get, times 1000, when people listen to it.”
Both grew up in quieter parts of the UK and revealed that moving to London was an important step in their creative evolution, Skye saying, “There were so many things being held in this place: The opportunity to make something happen, the opportunity to meet other people that are doing what you’re doing, to see things.” Ellery continued, “That was the stimulus for a lot of the songwriting — the city, and all these formative experiences.” Later adding: “If it’s about love or the city, then it’s within our language.”
Pre-sale is LIVE!!! Get your tix here: https://t.co/d0HSYVE9pB pic.twitter.com/tJG8yCOg9F
— jockstrap (@jockstrapmusic1) April 13, 2022
WE ARE BACK AT EOTR THIS YEAR, SAT NIGHT . V special show pic.twitter.com/A8xW9Ahwyn — jockstrap (@jockstrapmusic1) July 20, 2022
I Love You Jennifer B comes out September 9th of this year on Rough Trade Records, you can pre-order the album here. The band will be touring to promote the release of the album, dates are below, and tickets are available here. They will also be playing the sold-out End of The Road Festival on September 3rd.
29/09/ 2022 – The Mash House – Edinburgh
30/09 – Stereo – Glasgow
01/10 – The White Hotel – Manchester (Sold out)
3/10 – Belgrave Music Hall – Leeds
4/10 – Hare & Hounds – Birmingham
5/10 – The Fleece – Bristol
07/10 – Norwich Arts Centre – Norwich
08/10 – Patterns – Brighton
10/10 – Village Underground – London (Sold out)
11/10 – Clwb Ifor Bach – Cardiff
