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).
King
Tunng Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When we went hiding why don't you seek?
No one came looking for me
Your head restless with greed
She carried on shoulders like a little king
She is worshipped and adored
Invisibly worshipped and ignored
Twisted metal and underground deeds
This weightless town no good for me
Your head restless with greed
Your fate laid down in deep
The lyrics to Tunng's song "King" speak to the unfortunate reality of a child's worth being measured by their perceived value. The first line describes the child as being small and dirty, indicative of their vulnerability and a possible lack of care from those responsible for them. The chorus then describes how someone else, likely an adult, is being worshipped and adored while the child is invisible and ignored. The line "no one came looking for me" is repeated multiple times, underscoring the feeling of abandonment and neglect.
The second verse is more abstract, referencing "twisted metal and underground deeds" and a "weightless town." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the harsh realities of the world that the child is growing up in, with no refuge or protection. The final line about "your fate laid down in deep" alludes to a sense of hopelessness, perhaps indicating that the child feels trapped in their circumstances.
Overall, the lyrics of "King" offer a poignant commentary on the way in which children are often overlooked or undervalued in our society, and how the greed and selfishness of adults can have a detrimental impact on their wellbeing.
Line by Line Meaning
Four foot nothing knees stained with dirt
Small and insignificant, covered in dirt.
When we went hiding why don't you seek?
Playing a common childhood game of hide-and-seek, but no one bothered to look for the singer.
No one came looking for me
Feeling overlooked and unimportant.
Your head restless with greed
The person who should have been looking for the singer was too busy chasing after material wealth.
She carried on shoulders like a little king
A girl being treated like royalty, despite her small size.
She is worshipped and adored
The girl is idolized by those around her.
Invisibly worshipped and ignored
The singer feels unseen and ignored even though the girl is idolized.
No one came looking for me
The feeling of being ignored continues.
Twisted metal and underground deeds
A reference to an unsettling and dangerous environment where shady things happen.
This weightless town no good for me
The town has nothing substantial to offer the singer and is therefore unsuitable for them.
Your head restless with greed
The person who should have been looking for the singer is still obsessed with greed.
Your fate laid down in deep
The person's destiny is predetermined, and it is not in the singer's best interest to align themselves with them.
Contributed by Jordyn P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
rallokkcaz
This is a supremely underrated record, it's one of my favorites of all time.
raven
Replika sent me here :)