Mithraics by John Barnes

Our latest single, ‘Mithraics’, releases on 4 November and comes from John Barnes, longstanding solo musical project of composer and sound designer Cardiff's Sam Arnold.

Apart from his superb remix of Stereo Minus One’s ‘Switched’, released at the end of last year, 'Mithraics' is Sam’s first music as John Barnes since April 2016. We’re happy to report it won’t be such a long wait for more John Barnes though: this single is the first of three new tracks that we’ll be releasing over the next few months.

As John Barnes, Sam first appeared on Boobytrap Records' compilation 'A Step In The Left Direction' in 2003. His early discography includes a 2005 release '1 Before 3' on Machine Records and 2006's EP '3 Yellows Make Black' on No Ground Recordings. Sam's had various tracks played by BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio Wales and a live performance on S4C's Bandit. His UK live performances as John Barnes include supporting Keith Fullerton Whitman, Third Eye Foundation, Murcof, Randomnumber, Tony Morley, Puerto Muerto, Zan Lyons, Shitmat, Trembling Bells, and Dalek.

Sam is a former member of post-rock outfit Mountain Men Anonymous as well as being involved in two other musical projects: Zail and Jericho. Mountain Men Anonymous’ last album 'Krkonose', released in 2004, received critical acclaim from Wire, NME, Kerrang! and Rock Sound. The band played UK and European tour support slots with Lightning Bolt, The Fall, Les Savy Fav, Seafood, Mclusky, Billy Mahonie, The Warm Jets, British Sea Power, Gold Chains, Max Tundra and more.

We caught up with Sam for a quick chat about his new music.

Machine: I think I first heard you playing as John Barnes when you were supporting Shitmat in 2004. How did John Barnes come about?

Sam: The name John Barnes was purely because of my adoration of the footballer when I was a child. At school in the mid-nineties I made some basic tracks on a 4-track recorder, mainly simple guitar and piano things. On the tapes I'd always jokingly write John Barnes on the cassette label without even thinking about it. As more people heard the tapes It kind of just stuck. It's been the name I've given to all my solo music ever since.

Machine: What music pulled you into a more electronic space?

Sam: I always loved electronic music I heard on the radio and TV growing up, but as a teenager I got two albums (via the Britannia music club!) that inspired me to want to make electronic sounds: Orbital - Brown album, and The Prodigy - Music for a Jilted Generation. Those were my gateway to the things that I became obsessed with shortly after, like Autechre and Aphex Twin.

Machine: Amazing albums! Moving onto this release, ‘Mithraics’, which will be the first of three new tracks from you. What are these new tracks all about?

Sam: The thing that connects the new tracks are field recordings that I recorded from Berlin a few years ago. The sounds of the early morning U-Bahn and the overgrown disused Spreepark fairground were the inspiration, and the field recordings seep in and out of all three tracks.

Machine: That makes a lot of sense (once I Googled U-Bahn and Spreepark). I can really hear the connections. One last question. After these three new tracks are out, is there more John Barnes in the works?

Sam: There's a lot more John Barnes music at various stages of progress. Some of it is probably too silly to ever be heard outside of my laptop but amongst that there's some bits that will hopefully see the light of day soon.