Interview with music production duo Space Primates

Music production duo Space Primates met at ICMP London while studying guitar but are now known for their work as sonic architects of great pop music.

Marc Sibley and Nathan Cunningham bonded on their first day with us and over their time, channelled their musical energies into their studio work. After completing their studies, they travelled over to LA with a diary full of meetings and managed to land a publishing deal with Prescription Songs.

They’ve never looked back, landing high profile sessions and work with a range of artists including Flo Rida, Snoop Dogg and more and have just unleashed their debut single, 'My Life'.

Listen to the track below - and read our interview with Marc on how they've achieved success...  

How did you first begin your musical journey? Was there a song or record that kicked off your love for music? 

I started playing guitar when I was about 11 at school and started taking it pretty seriously when I was about 13. I joined a bunch of bands and just got into music from there really. I loved Nirvana, Blink 182 and Avenged Sevenfold when I was younger! 

How did the Space Primates meet? 

We actually met the first day I started at ICMP  Music School because we were in the same class and became friends soon after although we didn't start working together until our third year! 

How important was your time at ICMP in shaping you and your music? What did you learn while studying music that has stood you in good stead for the future? 

It was pretty important because that's where I met Nathan. In terms of what I learnt I think it mainly just opened my eyes to more possibilities within music.

Before I went to ICMP music school I was pretty set on just being in a band or working as a session musician. After the first lesson of music tech my goals changed pretty soon after." 

It also taught me more about styles I didn't pay much attention to before hand!

What was your big break after college? 

We had interest from a bunch of smaller publishers in the UK soon after we left ICMP music school but our first real break came when we went to visit the US. We just booked flights over to LA and tried to contact as many people as we could find through Twitter and Instagram. Fortunately most people got back to us and wanted to meet so went from there. It ended up with us having quite a few publishing offers, one being from Dr Luke who we had always been inspired by. We ended up signing to his publishing company Prescription Songs.

You've obviously keeping busy with numerous projects - how do you approach each one? Do you go in with a similar creative mindset?  

Obviously with some artists you can have a general idea of what they're going to be looking for, with someone like Flo Rida for example he's generally just looking for hit pop records that people can dance to. 

But most of the time I try and approach sessions without too many pre-conceptions because often artists aren't looking to repeat themselves. 

In terms of music production, what are your top tips for new producers? 

Just work hard and care about what you're doing, for the most part nobody just gets lucky. It takes graft and commitment. 

Are there any do's and don'ts when it comes to producing? And what's the best piece of advice you've received? 

Not really, do what feels good to you. Obviously you can't aim for records that work on radio by writing eight minute minimalist records though! 

I remember someone saying that amateurs wait to be inspired where as professionals just get up and do it. I think that's an interesting way to think about it and certainly made sense to me. I don't think it's helpful to make excuses for why you can't do something.

You're obviously been working with a number of high profile artists - how do these opportunities/projects come about? 

Various ways, it can come from our publisher, manager or from A&Rs who want us to work on a project. The most common way is probably through A&Rs. With DNCE it was a writer who we'd worked with previously who brought us in. 

What does the future have in store for you in terms of musical projects? 

We'll be building further from where we are and hopefully have global hit records in the near future. We have a bunch of records lined up for next year with some big artists.

Visit the Space Primates SoundCloud page to find out more and listen to their debut release, the sunny pop collaboration with Goldford, 'My Life'.  

Music Production Courses in London with ICMP Music School

If you're keen to follow your passion and carve out a career in music production and sound engineering, then why not join us here at ICMP music school in London? You'll learn in our state-of-the-art music production facilities, from some of the best tutors in the business, and also gain insight and advice from regular masterclass guests.

Speak to our Admissions Team who can help find the right music production course for you, call them on 020 7328 0222 or email enquiries@icmp.ac.uk. 

Music Production Courses