The Remote Viewer

This UK outfit comprises Craig Tattersall and Andrew Johnson (both ex-Hood and Famous Boyfriend). They make diligently processed melancholic pop which combines the aesthetics of early 90s miserablism and the technical astuteness of contemporary electronica. The duo’s quietly compelling music seemingly recalls dub’s elevation of the studio to an instrument in itself: songs are warped, glitched and gently disfigured. Although the Remote Viewer’s eponymous debut featured 10 untitled tracks, a subsequent mini-album, Quiet Is The New Loud - the release prefigured the Kings Of Convenience album of the same title - made a clear statement of Tattersall and Johnson’s music-making ideology. Here I Go Again On My Own reiterated this aesthetic, merging micro-beats, subdued melodies and, on occasion, hushed, minimalist vocals from Nicola Hodgkinson of Empress. Apart from their own project, Tattersall and Johnson were both involved in the production of Mogwai’s Rock Action. Under their current nom de guerre, the duo has released records on 555 Recordings of Leeds, Domino and Anglo-Germanic label, City Centre Offices. Although their music seems erudite and pretty, their first gig as the Remote Viewer, in Paris, reportedly featured Johnson and Tattersall playing the music off MiniDisc ‘while having crisps and beer’.
© TiVo