I’ve always had a soft spot for cover songs. Not the kind done by old ‘80s rockers trying to reinvent their glory days – that kind that are reinvented by talented artists. The artists who find twists and new ways to rediscover classics and make them their own, which is exactly what Jono McCleery, a London-based artist, has done with his newest release, Seeds of Dandelion.

The covers date from 1941 to 2013, showcasing works by artists ranging from Billie Holiday all the way to Beyoncé. Can McCleery’s version of “Halo” compare to the Beyoncé version? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good or brave, to say the least. It just isn’t the same, and that was the point here, to create something of his own while using and honoring the original song.

The string quartet usage, as well as the vocals on many of the songs, are haunting and almost separated from their originals. My favorite song on the album is “God Bless the Child,” a song that is unrecognizably Billie Holiday. The song comes in with a heavy guitar leading you into a more upbeat folk version with a quiet quartet closing out the background.

This is an album that, I feel like, will be hit or miss with most people. It is hard to touch well-known tracks without much criticism, but McCleery shows respect for the originals, has a subtle restraint in his voice, and illustrates care for with the melodies. This isn’t just someone’s garage karaoke party.

McCleery released his first album, Darkest Light, in 2008 entirely through the use of funds from fans. Since then he has been signed to Ninja Tune and became a known name throughout the London indie scene. I intend to keep an eye on Jono, his voice brings a familiarity and a difference at the same time, which is hard in a music industry saturated with sameness.

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The band has been on tour since February and on April 16th they will begin their journey through North America with seven stops in Canada and United States.

We had a chance to chat with the duo about the beginning, future, and being on road among other things. Read on to get to know Maribou State before seeing them in a venue near you.

Kateryna Topol: You two have known each other growing up but didn’t really start working together, or talking to each other I hear, til college, how did the collaboration come together after all these years?

Maribou State: We both went to school together but never really saw eye to eye. We were both in different bands at school but eventually had to join forces due to lack of players at the school. We carried on working with the band through university and when that all came to an end we started Maribou.

KT: I’ve also read that Chris sawed through your studio desk when you built it  – you built your own studio desk, with a chainsaw? Is that a side hobby, making furniture? 

MS: Needs must. Between our fathers and us we built our own studio. I wouldn’t say it’s a hobby though. Chris was adamant we needed to shorten one of the desks to make a perfect fit with the keyboard it housed, a week or so later we bought a new bigger keyboard, the desk had to be reattached.

KT:  Ok let’s talk about the upcoming LP, was there a particular inspiration behind Portraits?

MS: We pull inspiration from a number of places, the music we listen to, the music we play when we DJ, the instruments we use and even the area that we live in. There’s no definite process that we follow. Each track was started and finished in a different way to the next. It’s the way we’ve always worked; it can be very spontaneous which either ends up with quick results or days on end getting nowhere.

KT: There are a few collaborations on the album, how did you decide on who to work with? 

MS: The two main collaborations on the LP are with our good friend Jack (Pedestrian) and the singer-songwriter Holly Walker. We’ve always worked closely with Jack, ever since becoming friends a couple of years ago and Holly featured on one of our earlier singles, so it made sense to write some more music together for the album. She’s also part of the live band. Since signing to Counter the opportunity arose to work with Jono McCleery, another act on the label. We’ve always been big fans of Jono and was really grateful to have him feature on one of the tracks.

KT: If you could work with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you make? 

MS: Not quite sure how the results would sound but Ravi Shankar and Enya would be high on the list.

KT: How has the tour been so far and what are you most looking forward to on the road in the next few months? 

MS: We both love coming over to America, I think we’re probably both most excited about where we’re going to eat. We’re both big foodies and there’s no shortage of good places to eat in the US! Plus this time around we’re really looking forward to getting stuck into some record stores whilst we’re over.

KT: Do your live shows tend to turn into crazy dance parties? 

MS: The craziest…

KT: Do you take time off to explore when touring? 

MS: We always try and find time to explore the city we’re in. We’re definitely not the kind of people to hide in the hotel waiting for the show. We’re always open to recommendations and usually spend most of our time wandering around town.

KT: Can you think of one highlight from your career so far?

MS: We just played our first live show in London, with our new band. It’s something we’ve been working towards for some time and it feels pretty special to know that we pulled it off.

KT: Nice! Where do you see yourself next year this time? What about three years? 

MS: Hopefully next year we’ll either be out on the road with our band or in the studio working on the next album. Considering how fast things have changed over the last three years I couldn’t’ possibly say what’s going to be happening in the next three years.

Photo by William Cooper Mitchel

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His first album, Distant Light, was released independently and funded by the generosity of his fans.

Samuel Hernandez: How do you recreate your sound live? Is there a special process that you follow to get ready?

Jono McCleery: We’re about to find out how to do it. I am going to use a live drummer and he’ll be using a drum pat as well as live drums so he can recreate some of the samples. I’ll also be learning how to play the piano, as I usually play the guitar during shows, and piano is going to be more integral to this album. In the past, my brother played and then I played with my trio.

SH: How did you get started in music?

JMC: When I was 17 I started to teach myself how to play guitar. It felt natural for me to sing, play, and write. I use nylon strings and am influenced by jazz and classical guitar players.

SH: Do you have a personal routine?

JMC: No routine. If I get a chance, I try not to use my voice. Which can be a bit weird when you have a full band.

SH: There are a lot of comparisons getting made about your sound. Is there a singer you aspire to or admire enough that you might say, “Yes you are seeing exactly what I would like to do”?

JMC: I don’t think there is someone I aspire to. I would love to build into when people stop comparing. Outgrow those influences in a musical sense. Though perhaps I have already done that and others are finding it harder to do. People just need to become more familiar with my music.

McCleery’s sound is at times otherworldly. Listening to his cover of Wonderful Life, you are charged with a deep passion, resonating through the minimalist EDM elements that are present in the song. His vocals evoke a jazzy haze, but on top of the finger snaps and electronic blips, the song is heightened to a modern unique expression. There is a dire melancholic bleeding from the vocals, a desperate attempt to wring every conceivable emotion from the song.

SH: Your music is beautifully “minimalist.” While deciding on the composition, for example your cover of “Wonderful Life,” does the instrumentation give you anxiety at all?

JMC: I try to be overminded with new ideas. We recorded the demos [for the new single “Fire in My Hands”] and showed them to Ninja Tune, and then we sort of developed it into a record. The longer I’m in music, the better I am at knowing when a song is finished. I’m getting to a point where I’m happy with song and performance. With “Wonderful Life,“ it was a collaboration with Fiber. He came up with the production and I tried to come up with a sympathetic vocal for it.

SH: Who do you find coming to your shows and how do they interact with the audience?

JMC: I don’t do interaction when I perform. I find my best performances are when I’m immersed in the music. But before and after the show I get a sense of the kind of people who show up. They’re really really nice people, all types and all ages. My first album was funded by the fans. A fan and his friend from the US offered to fund the album, to sponsor and support me to get the album done. I decided to open it up to all of my fan base. Quite a bit of people were turning up at shows with checks and money to donate to me.

The latest single Fire in My Hands is out now in anticipation for a forthcoming album. It is husky piano in a dimlit room, with the powerful vocals of McCleery and a distorted snare drum creating a song that is unlike either jazz vocals or EDM, a hybrid that pushes the tempo forward and ensnares the listener in something truly unique.

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