My partner trained as a classical musician but soon became interested in electronic music, being very technologically minded and passionate about anything to do with computers (except for games. How boring). When we met he immediately introduced me to the genre and I learned a little about the intricacies behind the creative process – making new sounds, the combination of acoustic recording and synthesized patterns, and of course mixing and mastering.
We started playing together in the band Limbic System, where I discovered a whole new style of recording and performance. As a classical soloist I’m used to doing what I want with a piece (within the boundaries of the score of course), adding a touch of rubato where needed and utilising the subtleties of dynamics and articulation. When recording for electronic music, everything has to be perfectly in time. Any dynamics have to be exaggerated, they have to be obvious enough to cut through the rest of the tracks. Performance has to be similar, everything exaggerated, fortissimo throughout unless I’m a doing a solo.
Anyway, with my brother and band-mate moving to Leeds for a post doc, and it being logistically difficult to rehearse the whole band with us also living part time in France, my partner and I decided to work on a simpler, more stripped back project. We decided to go for a simpler sound too – more loop based. This makes playing perfectly in time even more important! And the repeated patterns make it even harder. Good job I’m a perfectionist! Practising different rhythms helps 
So our new project is called Cleff, and yesterday we filmed my sister dancing with her hula hoops for the video for our first single, out at the end of January. Can’t wait to start performing the music live! Click here for a preview.