Former members include co-founder Sam Genders (vocals, guitar), who left the band before the release of "...And Then We Saw Land" (Mar 2010, Full Time Hobby).
Tunng started after Genders and Lindsay met, in the latter's Soho basement studio (below a clothes shop). Genders was a singer-songwriter and Lindsay had the studio (making electronica and living through advertising music production). They found that Lindsay's distinctive way with twinkling sounds, and tight production, significantly enhanced the folky songs they were writing - A signature sound developed.
Tunng's first album was "Mother's Daughter And Other Songs" (Jan 2005, Static Caravan) - However, since Genders made at first the choice not to play live, Lindsay found Jacobs and Bates. to help with live shows. Over time, Winter and Smith became part of the band and have all contributed more to recordings, first on "Comments Of The Inner Chorus" (May 2006, Full Time Hobby), then more so on "Good Arrows" (Aug 2007, Full Time Hobby).
The 2010 album, "...And Then We Saw Land", has been the most successful to date and was recorded in the semi-legendary Play Industries Studio, Shoreditch, with access to its vast collection of vintage synthesizers helping develop a more delicate and inter-woven production style. Glenister added live drums to the gigs, from 2009, for a heavier sound, a long way from the seated studio project Tunng once was.
On "Turbines": "...often beloved for its bucolic oddness and modernist gleam, Tunng's polyphonic future folk blossoms with enchanting melodies, simmering grooves, and found sound that has propelled the band into a paradise of exceeded expectations" (Absolute Punk).
Engine Room
Tunng Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Far into the river
Sick of the flower rhymes
Go now and for our hands
A tax haven for our friends
Go sit in the corner
Hide in the engine room
There to keep us warmer
The tickets were six pounds
Photography forbidden
Rugged up safe and sound
Your actions are forgiven
Stuck in a holiday
Far into the river
Sick of the flower rhymes
Go now and forever
A safe haven for our friends
Go and sit in the corner
Hide in the engine room
There to keep us warmer
Safe haven for our friends
Go and sit in the corner
How do birds find their way?
How do..
..birds..
..birds?
The lyrics to Tunng's "Engine Room" are a somewhat cryptic blend of imagery and suggestion, leaving interpretation up to the listener. The opening line, "Stuck in a holiday," may suggest a feeling of being trapped or unfulfilled, while "far into the river" evokes a sense of being carried away by something beyond one's control. "Sick of the flower rhymes" could imply a dissatisfaction with the cliches and conventions of traditional poetry or songwriting.
The lines "A tax haven for our friends / Go sit in the corner / Hide in the engine room / There to keep us warmer" hint at a desire for escape and privacy, perhaps even a sense of guilt or secrecy. The idea of an engine room suggests a space that is necessary for the functioning of a larger system, but is not usually seen or acknowledged. By hiding there, the singer may be trying to find a way to keep their relationships and actions running smoothly without drawing too much attention.
Throughout the song, there are moments of repetition and variation, as well as a shift in energy and focus towards the end. The repeated line "Safe haven for our friends / Go and sit in the corner" echoes the earlier call to hide away, but the final lines introduce a new question: "How do birds find their way?" This could be seen as a metaphor for the search for direction or purpose, possibly even a longing for flight or freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Stuck in a holiday
Feeling trapped in a seemingly pleasant but unfulfilling situation
Far into the river
Deep into the current of life's journey
Sick of the flower rhymes
Tired of the cliches and contrived sentiments that are expected
Go now and forever
Make a move and don't look back
A safe haven for our friends
A place of refuge and comfort for those we care about
Go and sit in the corner
Take some time to reflect and find peace
Hide in the engine room
Retreat to the source of power and energy that will sustain you
There to keep us warmer
Providing shelter from the cold and harshness of the outside world
The tickets were six pounds
A cheap and accessible means of entry
Photography forbidden
Rules and restrictions in place to control the experience
Rugged up safe and sound
Wrapped in layers of protection and security
Your actions are forgiven
You are absolved of any mistakes or missteps
How do birds find their way?
A philosophical musing on the mysteries of nature and instinct
Contributed by Christian T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TJ Aycock
Came here from the last song, "Tale from black."
I like this band now.
bertolt bricht
absolutely in <3 ... .
kimbolinarino
how do birds find their way?
Stenno Stenno
your actions are forgiven
Juan José Arboleda
skins?
Maxi
Yes