Emma Anderson

As a member of Lush, Emma Anderson's guitar playing, songwriting, and harmony vocals were one of the main reasons that band became one of the leading lights of the early-'90s alternative music scene. She provided the same in the trip-hop duo Sing-Sing as the 2000s began, before finally stepping out as a solo artist with 2023's electronic dream pop album Pearlies. Anderson began her musical career with a stint playing bass for the group the Rover Girls, then joined her school friend Miki Berenyi to form the Baby Machines in 1987 with drummer Chris Acland and guitarist Meriel Barham. When bassist Steve Rippon signed on, they changed their name to Lush and soon shifted from playing riot grrrl-style punk to a more atmospheric, less aggressive approach inspired by groups like Cocteau Twins. Barham left the group, and the remaining members began playing around London, quickly earning a number of fans, including Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins. He helped the band secure a contract with 4AD, and they released their acclaimed debut EP, Scar, in 1989. Lush supported the EP with opening tours for Loop and the Darling Buds, and by 1990, they had graduated to headlining tours of their own. Throughout 1990, the band's profile grew as they released the acclaimed EPs Mad Love and Sweetness and Light and played high-profile gigs like the Glastonbury Festival, while becoming favorites of the music weeklies' gossip columns. Gala, an album compiling their three EPs, became the band's first American release at the end of 1990. Lush spent most of 1991 recording their debut album and releasing the Black Spring EP in October. Rippon left the band during the sessions and was replaced by Philip King, who had played with Felt, the Servants, and Biff Bang Pow. Lush finally released their delayed debut album, the Guthrie-produced Spooky, in early 1992. The album sold well, reaching the British Top Ten and topping the U.K. indie charts, and the group garnered a slot appearing on the second Lollapalooza tour. Their second album, Split, came out in June of 1994 and featured a more straightforward sound and more pop-oriented songwriting. Lush returned in early 1996 with Lovelife, an album that showcased a debt to the pop-single ideals of Britpop. The musical changeover paid off as "Single Girl" and "Ladykiller" became their two biggest hit singles, and the album became a U.K. Top 20 hit. Lush had completed their supporting tours and summer festival appearances when Chris Acland died by suicide in October of 1996. Devastated by his death, the remaining members of Lush went into a long period of mourning. The trio disbanded in February 1998. By that point, Anderson had already laid the groundwork for her next group, forming Sing-Sing with Locust vocalist Lisa O'Neill. With help from Elastica's drummer, Justin Welch, the duo recorded a demo in early 1998, then after enlisting Locust's Mark Van Hoen on keyboards and production, they made another demo. This one caught the ear of Guthrie and fellow ex-Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde, and they released the "Feels Like Summer" single on their label, Bella Union, in October of 1998. Sing-Sing's sound was a sophisticated blend of trip-hop grooves and classic pop melodies, with Anderson and O'Neill splitting the songwriting duties. Their first LP, The Joy of Sing-Sing, was released in 2001 on the Poptones label. Sing-Sing and I was issued in 2005. In between, the duo formed a live band and regularly toured. Once their partnership dissolved, Anderson stepped back from music, before resurfacing with a reformed Lush in 2015. They participated in the making of a box set of the complete 4AD recordings titled Chorus, then (joined by Justin Welch on drums) embarked on a world tour in 2016. That same year, the Blind Spot EP was released on their own Edamame label. The reunion proved short-lived, and afterward, Anderson began working with cellist Audrey Riley with an eye toward recording music for films and television using a different vocalist. Riley encouraged her to sing her own songs, as did Guthrie when he heard the music she was working on. She took to heart the advice both he and Riley had imparted, and when she started recording with James Chapman of Maps, she was finally taking on lead-vocal chores herself. The album the pair created (along with guest guitarist Richard Oakes of Suede) was released by Sonic Cathedral in late 2023. Pearlies was a melancholy, softly layered album that conjured up the dream states of early Lush while giving that template some quietly majestic electronic flourishes.
© Tim Sendra /TiVo