Legendary producer Richard Norris has teamed up with synth wizard Martin Dubka as Circle Sky, to release a special single entitled ‘Love Hertz’ just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Norris has worked with everyone from The Pet Shop Boys to Bryan Ferry, and made cult electronic music as Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve with Erol Alkan, and solo as The Time & Space Machine.  His former electronic dance band The Grid, was the first band to be invited to play and record in Moog Synthesiser’s bespoke sound lab for the creation of live synthesised music, resulting in a 6-track album called ‘One Way Traffic.’ Martin Dubka has produced for the likes of Ali Love and Lou Hayter, who’s current single is picking up national radio support.

Together the pair embrace a hypnotic approach with resonant loops, fluctuating sounds and pulsing moods, and mix a vintage analogue warmth with digital technology to cook up fresh new sounds. Their live show is a swirl of pulsing lights, racks of LEDs, wires, and synched vortexes exploding in technicolour. The project is fronted by an enigmatic vocal presence, as the duo synthesize their own phonic utterances into the emotive stylings of singer, Iris.

We caught up with them to talk influences, equipment, and spontaneous combustion….

To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?
Electronic music. Melodic and atmospheric.

How did it all start for you?
Circle Sky started when I met Martin Dubka by booking him to play live at my electronic night. He was playing a modular synth rig that looked like a bomb and making up tunes on the spot. I joined in soon after.

What three albums would you say influenced your sound the most?
Kraftwerk – Computer World.
Yellow Magic Orchestra – Yellow Magic Orchestra
Brian Eno – Here Come The Warm Jets

Are there any key pieces of equipment that you can’t live without?
Mainly computer, interface and a few Moog and Eventide pedals

What are some of your key influences in your music? Whether it be the sound created by others, imagery, films or any kind of art form.
I am mainly influenced by ambient and electronic music makers, from John Cage to Delia Derbyshire to Daphne Oram to Eliane Radigue. Drone tones, mainly. And abstract art.

What is one sub-genre you think doesn’t get the attention it deserves?
Warm melodic ambience.

Any new or upcoming artists on your radar?
Kams. Excellent work.

What makes your live performances different from the rest?
Spontaneous combustion

What single night out has been the most memorable for you? As a performer? As an attendee?
As a performer, T In The Park, the Arches, Brixton Academy, Wembley. As an attendee, Beastie Boys at Rough Trade shop, Laraaji at Cafe Oto, Prince, Miles Davis, Earth Wind and Fire, Kraftwerk, Al Green.

What is your favourite venue of all times?
I like the Town and Country Club in Kentish Town, London, now called the O2 Academy or something.

What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
I am currently working on a series of ambient, deep listening albums. The first one, ‘Richard Norris – Abstractions Volume One’ is out on Group Mind in March.

Famous last words?
I Told You I Was Ill