Monocle 24: The Sessions At Midori House

We take a trip down memory lane and have a listen to some of our favourite performers to have graced the Midori House studios this year. Featuring music by Vampire Weekend bassist Baio, pop sensation Frances, singer-songwriter Katie Melua and synth-pop favourites Saint Etienne.

Japanese singer and artist Rié tells us about straddling a pop career between Japan and the UK and sings tracks from her new EP ‘Levels’.

Mississippi blues musician R L Boyce has been on the scene for decades and, now aged 62, has just released his second album. We meet the man to find out what took him so long and he also plays a few tracks from his LP ‘Roll and Tumble’.

British pop singer Rae Morris tells us about her upcoming second album and plays some new tracks for us.

The US psych-pop group talk to Holly Fisher about their new album ‘Woodstock’ and what it’s like to work with a Beastie Boy. They also perform three tracks from their LP.

Brisbane’s neo-soul singer Jordan Rakei returns to Midori House this week as he releases his second album ‘Wallflower’. He tells us how moving to London changed his songwriting process.

German-Korean musician Josin tells us how she switched a life in medicine for a life in music and plays from her EP ‘Epilogue’.

The UK synthpop legend and Soft Cell star plays tracks from his new solo album, which pays homage to the songs of the 1960s that inspired him.

British musician Nick Mulvey joins us in the studio to play from his new album ‘Wake Up Now’ and to talk about the subjects that influenced it.

American musician Courtney Marie Andrews is a self-confessed workaholic. The 26-year-old has already written and recorded six albums and isn’t set to slow down anytime soon. She plays live for us in the Midori House studios and chats to Andrew Mueller.

Ahead of the release of her upcoming album, ‘Stay Lucky’, British singer Nerina Pallot plays tracks new and old and tells us the highlights of her colourful career to date.

We revisit some of our favourite live performances from this year so far. Featuring tracks by indie-pop quartet Saint Motel, Israeli singer-producer Noga Erez, former Smoke City frontwoman Nina Miranda and husband-and-wife duo Tennis.

British band My Sad Captains play from their upcoming album ‘Sun Bridge’ and discuss how a new line-up has influenced their sound.

New UK group Girl Ray discuss writing songs about teenagehood as they release their debut album, ‘Earl Grey’.

Australian singer and frontwoman of Howling Bells, Juanita Stein performs from her solo album ‘America’.

Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio has just released his second album under his solo name, Baio. ‘Man of the World’ is a collection of pop songs inspired by politics happening on both sides of the Atlantic after a turbulent 2016. He plays us a few tracks and tells Holly Fisher why he felt he needed to write the album.

US indie quartet Saint Motel hit the studio to play some tunes from their latest audio-visual album ‘Saintmotelevision’.

Seoul-based electro-pop duo Love X Stereo join Bill Leuty in the studio to play live tracks and discuss their new album, 37A.

Saskatchewan singer Colter Wall comes to Midori House to play Canadian country music from his eponymous debut album.

Israeli producer and musician Noga Erez takes centre stage this week as she performs from her debut album 'Off The Radar'.