Landshapes

Landshapes is a London-based indie rock and indie folk group active since 2012. It develops from the earlier rhythmic collective Lulu and the Lampshades, and the name Landshapes comes from a misspelling that occurs at a Paris venue and then sticks as the band moves in a more experimental direction.

Formation and lineup

The group emerges from a 2009 incarnation of Lulu and the Lampshades. That lineup includes Luisa Gerstein, Heloise Tunstall-Behrens, Jemma Freeman and drummer Dan Blackett, with Blackett described as the only fixed member in a changing arrangement in which instruments are shared and passed around. The verified membership for Landshapes itself is Luisa Gerstein and Heloise Tunstall-Behrens.

Style and development

Landshapes combines ramshackle percussion with folk-pop melodies and layered harmonies. The band’s earlier material includes the YouTube hit “Cups”, but under the Landshapes name the sound becomes bolder and more experimental. Their songs are developed through detailed rehearsal work in London, with a strong focus on each note and drumbeat.

Recordings and releases

The band records its debut album Rambutan in late 2011 with Ash Workman, who has worked with Metronomy and Summer Camp. The album appears in 2013 on the UK independent label Bella Union. Its second album, Heyoon, is written in a cottage in Cornwall and draws inspiration from American short stories and the work of Dutch conceptual artist Bas Jan Ader. It is recorded with producers Giles Barrett and David Holmes and is preceded by the Palindrome EP, a collaboration with London all-female choir Deep Throat.

Album title detail

Heyoon takes its title from a mispronunciation of a secret pavilion in Southeast Michigan.