❉ The synthpop supertrio talk to Ange Chan about their new remix EP.
Agency-V are a synthpop collaboration that were formed in the midst of the first UK lockdown and are the formidable synth trio of Marie Williamson (AfterDark), Lloyd Price (The Frixion) and Peter Steer (Tenek, Sinestar). Together, they deliver powerful electro rock coupled with emotive lyrics bringing the best of their talents to this recently formed trio.
The project came together after a chance conversation between Marie and Lloyd, the latter suggesting they should collaborate on something to make the most of the free time that lockdown offered. Marie said, “Lloyd and I have known each other for a few years now from bumping into each other at music events, but I’ve never yet met Pete face to face! Lloyd and I began chatting on Facebook back in March at the beginning of the first lock down. Both of us had been on a break from music for several months so decided to see what we could do together. Lloyd sent me two demos that day. Inspired by both tracks I wrote the lyrics and recorded them down and had the demos back to Lloyd in the space of a few hours. Five weeks later we had completed our first EP.“
In this same lockdown period, Lloyd and Peter had been toying with the idea of working together outside of their regular bands, and had exchanged ideas so it made sense to bring Peter in to work on this new project, bringing with him all of his expertise from Tenek and Sinestar. Lloyd adds, “The whole Agency-V project has really surprised me. it was just a quick idea I had one day, and it’s just grown wings! It really has caught me off guard how well it’s been received. Obviously the combination of members has produced something really interesting, which really was by chance.”
May 2020 saw the release of the debut EP ‘No Divide’ which featured four brand new electro-rock tracks and was extremely well received and featured on numerous radio shows and podcasts worldwide. This encouraged the trio to collate a six-track remix EP featuring remixes by luminaries from the current electronic music scene, including producer and composer Andy Gray, Nude Sound System, Baba Vanga, Inertia, Psykelektric and Tin Gun. These remixes range from industrial electro-rock to ‘get down and dirty’ electronic disco, and have all added an exciting new twist to the songs.
The fusion of Marie’s vocal and the synth treatments from both Peter and Lloyd bring together a symbiotic fusion of synth magic, and the remixes only add to the listenability of these tracks. They are both uplifting and real, and bring nothing of the gloom of lockdown but all the positivity. Marie describes the EP as “a combination of dark, synth, and dance vibes and other twists on the originals.”
Peter has said of the project, “What started off as a lockdown project has evolved into something much more! These remixes definitely add something to the original tracks and we are delighted to see them released, huge thanks to everyone who contributed! Lots more to come from us in 2021 including a limited edition CD with exclusive new tracks. It’s been a pleasure to be involved with Agency-V, it’s helped keep all three us reasonably sane through these strange and challenging times!” Marie goes on to say, “From that first EP back in March, Agency-V are delighted and grateful to be releasing ‘No Divide – The Remixes’ and can only extend our thanks to those producers who loved the tracks and came forward to remix them.”
Lloyd is particularly pleased with how the remixes have gone, working with a range of innovative collaborators. He said, “With the remix EP it’s been great to see how the different remixers have taken the tracks to different places. I’m really happy to have had some good friends such as Reza from Inertia and Rob Green of Nude Sound System contribute, and it was a massive plus to get Andy Gray on the EP. He has done some amazing stuff in the past with Gary Numan and other fantastic artists. The Tin Gun remix is a standout for me too. In fact the whole of the six tracks are of such high quality it’s hard sometimes to pick a fave!”
❉ Agency-V: ‘No Divide – The Remixes EP 6 track remix EP was released 6 November 2020 via Bandcamp [click here] and will be available on all other digital platforms from Friday 13 November.
❉ Ange Chan is a freelance writer, having produced two novels and six volumes of poetry. She was also prolific contributor in the anthology collection Me and the Starman, (now available by Cult Ink on Amazon) and is a lifelong lover of music, having first been published in the 1980s music press. As well as being a frequent contributor to the pop culture website We Are Cult, she is working on her long-standing third novel Champagne Flutes and Pixie Boots.