Heap grew up playing music from an early age, and by her eleventh birthday she was writing her own songs. From the age of 15, she studied at the BRIT School Of Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon, South London, recording three tracks for the school's annual CD between 1994 and 1995, "Aliens" being the title track of the latter.
After being introduced to Nik Kershaw by his manager Mickey Modern, Heap and Kershaw recorded four demos that Mickey Modern took to Rondor Music. Consequently, a few months later Heap signed her first record contract at 18 to independent record label Almo Sounds. During 1996, Heap began working with an experimental pop band called Acacia, which featured her future collaborator Guy Sigsworth and was fronted by the singer Alexander Nilere. While never a full member of the band, Heap was a guest vocalist (as a counterpart to Nilere) and contributed to various Acacia single and album tracks in 1997. One Acacia song, "Maddening Shroud", would later be covered by Frou Frou.
Heap enjoyed a prestigious live début, performing four songs (backed by friends Acacia) between sets by The Who and Eric Clapton at the 1996 Prince's Trust Concert in Hyde Park, London. Her début album, I Megaphone (an anagram of "Imogen Heap") was internationally released in 1998 on independent record label Almo Sounds and garnered critical acclaim. However, as production of the album neared completion, it was announced that the record label had been sold and would be shut down. I-Megaphone featured collaborations with Guy Sigsworth and Dave Stewart. In Japan, the regional distributor, Zora, re-released the album in 2002, featuring "Blanket," her collaboration with Urban Species which was released as a single in the United Kingdom, and a Frou Frou remix of one of her B-sides, a video to which was released exclusively to Japanese media. Following the disbanding of her UK and USA record label, I Megaphone was scarce in circulation, having not been re-printed until November 2006. An independent Brazillian record label has rights to the record, and has issued limited copies, some of which are available on eBay. It has also been released through the iTunes Music Store under the Almo label.
At the same time as the Japanese re-release, Heap was working on new tracks with producer Guy Sigsworth, who had collaborated on "Getting Scared" from I-Megaphone. Together, they formed an electro-pop group Frou Frou, releasing an album called "Details" and singles, "Breathe In", "It's Good To Be In Love" and "Must Be Dreaming." The album was a full collaboration between the two artists. Frou Frou were approached to cover "Holding Out for a Hero", originally performed by Bonnie Tyler, for the soundtrack to the highly successful movie Shrek 2. An album track, "Let Go", was featured in the movie Garden State in 2004.
In December 2003, Heap announced on her web site that she was going to write and produce her second solo album, using her site as an online blog to update fans on progress, even seeking them to be her A&R team for the lyrics to "Daylight Robbery". Heap set herself a deadline of one year to make the album (she booked the album mastering for December 2004), and re-mortgaged her flat to fund production costs, including the use of studio time and instruments (which she purchased as a birthday present to herself). Having been burned by previous challenges with record labels (Heap had been spurned twice by record companies, when Almo Sounds was sold and when Frou Frou's label staff focused on promoting other acts), Heap decided to form her own record label on which to release the new record. At the end of 2004, Heap premiered two album tracks online, enabling fans to pay for a digital download, entitled "Just For Now" (which was up for a limited time as a Christmas gift), and "Goodnight And Go", which had been featured on the second season of hit US TV drama The O.C.
In April 2005, The O.C. season two finale featured another track, the sparse vocodered-vocal track, "Hide And Seek". The track was released immediately to digital download services such as iTunes where it became an instant fixture in the chart. The track was released as a digital download on the 5th July 2005 in the UK and peaked at #8 on the iTunes download chart.
The album, entitled "Speak For Yourself" was then released in the UK on July 18th 2005 on her own record label, Megaphonic Records. The album was also released on iTunes UK, where it entered the top 10, selling strongly. "Hide And Seek" also received radio attention from the popular UK radio station BBC Radio One, with DJ Scott Mills featuring it as his "Record of the Week", and provoking strong reactions ("love it or hate it") from other DJs at the station. Due to popular demand, the track was commercially released on a special limited edition (1500 copies were printed) 7" vinyl in the UK in September. Speak For Yourself was licensed to Sony BMG imprint RCA Victor in August 2005, enabling the record to be released in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It was released in those territories in November, and Heap appeared on the Hotel Cafe Tour promoting the record. Imogen also performed "Goodnight And Go" on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 11, 2006. Heap is slated to continue touring in 2006 in the US and UK to support the record.
As well as TV soundtracks (Frou Frou and Heap's solo records have been featured in shows as varied as The O.C. to CSI, among others), Heap has also contributed solo tracks to movie soundtracks. Her cover of the song "Spooky" (made famous by the band Classics IV, and previously covered by Dusty Springfield) for the soundtrack to the Reese Witherspoon movie Just Like Heaven. Heap also wrote a special track entitled "Can't Take It In" for the soundtrack to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. She has also appeared on the second soundtrack for the HBO television series "Six Feet Under", entitled "Six Feet Under Vol. 2: Everything Ends" with a 50-second track that closed the Season 4 episode "I'm A Lonely Little Petunia (In An Onion Patch)". Three versions were recorded and are available from Heap's official web site.
In addition to producing her own records, she has also produced a track for Nik Kershaw and has collaborated with artists as diverse as Joshua Radin, Jeff Beck, Temposhark, LHB, Way Out West, Jon Bon Jovi, Mich Gerber, Sean Lennon, Urban Species, Blue October, Jon Hopkins and Acacia.
Heap's 2009 album 'Ellipse' features Canvas, Aha! and Half Life.
Sites: Twitter
www.imogenheap.com
Telemiscommunications
Imogen Heap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, you first
Oh, what? The delay's quite bad
Yeah, sorry
Where are you? I can't really hear you
A taxi distracted, anyway you, you were saying?
Wait, uh, now they're waving me over
Can I call you back? Yeah, everything's fine
I probably just need sleep, it's been a busy week
Sorry, I've got to go
Sorry, okay bye
This is just so unlike us
Cut back to horizontalisms
If we could win just one small touch
Contact versus telemiscommunications
Plan foiled, the sirens pass by
Kids screaming
The longest public announcement
Reached check-in, finally got through
Running for a flight, shoes off
You're calling voicemail
In joke, group laughter
Closing scenes in a meeting
Angel, angel why didn't you tell me?
One second, someone needs directions
Can't you see I'm on the phone?
This is just so unlike us
Cut back to horizontalisms
If we could win just one small touch
Contact versus telemiscommunications
So unlike us (unlike us)
Cut back to horizontalisms
If we could win just one small touch
Contact versus telemiscommunications
Did I tell you I loved you today?
Did I tell you I loved you today?
Did I tell you I loved you today?
Did I tell you I loved you today
(Whoa whoa) did I tell you I loved you today?
(Whoa whoa) did I tell you I loved you today?
(Whoa whoa) did I tell you I loved you today?
(Whoa whoa) did I tell you, I loved you today?
The song Telemiscommunications by Imogen Heap is a portrayal of our modern-day communication crisis, where we are willing to sacrifice real and authentic human connection for mere technological convenience. The lyrics revolve around a conversation between two individuals who are struggling to have a meaningful conversation due to a poor connection. It represents the superficiality of our current communication, where we exchange pleasantries and small talk rather than talking about our genuine feelings and emotions. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that they are talking through a screen, and they are struggling to hear each other or understand each other’s feelings.
The chorus of the song is catchy and repetitive, symbolizing the frustration and longing for a more profound and meaningful connection. The song cleverly uses the word “telemiscommunications” to describe the breakdown of communication that happens over technology. The usage of the word “horizontalisms” in the verse suggests that their conversation is limited to only physical attraction, and they are not able to hold a conversation to delve deeper into their personalities and emotions.
Overall, the song is a poignant reminder of the importance of genuine human connection that we often forget in the age of technology.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey babe, how's your day been?
Asking a loved one how their day went.
No, you first
Politely insisting that the other person share their day first.
Oh, what? The delay's quite bad
Acknowledging the poor connection or delay in communication due to technology.
Yeah, sorry
Apologizing because of the technology's shortcomings.
Where are you? I can't really hear you
Questioning the other person's current location due to the poor call quality.
A taxi distracted, anyway you, you were saying?
Getting distracted by external factors and asking the other person to continue speaking.
Wait, uh, now they're waving me over
Interrupting the call momentarily due to an external factor.
Can I call you back? Yeah, everything's fine
Asking to end the call because of external factors but reassuring the other person.
Why am I, I don't know why
Wondering about one's emotional turmoil without a clear reason.
I probably just need sleep, it's been a busy week
Attributing one's emotional turmoil to overwork and stress.
Sorry, I've got to go
Ending the call due to external factors.
Sorry, okay, bye
Politely saying goodbye and ending the call.
This is just so unlike us
Noting how unusual it is for the two people to struggle to communicate.
Cut back to horizontalisms
Moving away from technology, which is vertical, and instead communicating horizontally, face-to-face.
If we could win just one small touch
Wishing for an opportunity to be physically together and communicate.
Contact versus telemiscommunications
Comparing face-to-face communication of contact with that of telecommunication.
Plan foiled, the sirens pass by
An outside interference foiling a plan or intended communication.
Kids screaming
Another outside interference in the background during communication.
The longest public announcement
An overlong announcement interrupting communication.
Reached check-in, finally got through
Communicating the successful crossing off an event or activity on their to-do list.
Running for a flight, shoes off
Narrating a rushed and chaotic situation.
You're calling voicemail
Trying to get in touch with someone, but reaching their voicemail instead.
In joke, group laughter
Sharing a moment of humor and laughter with others.
Closing scenes in a meeting
The last part of a meeting in which communication is ending.
Angel, angel why didn't you tell me?
Feeling surprised or betrayed by someone close.
One second, someone needs directions
Interrupting the communication due to an external factor.
Can't you see I'm on the phone?
A speaker getting frustrated with someone not recognizing the importance of their communication.
(Whoa whoa) did I tell you I loved you today?
Asking if oneself expressed love to the other person earlier.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joel Thomas Zimmerman, Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind