An interview with Stubborn Heart

By Tim Marshall

London-based electronic duo Luca Santucci and Ben Fitzgerald formed officially as Stubborn Heart last year, but had been making music together for the last ten years. The band said that it all started to come together “when we came up with ‘Better Than This’  in 2010. We finally made something that we were proud of and that we could play to our friends without flinching.”  Three years later, the track was released as the third single from their eponymous debut album. An eclectic mix of  pulsating, heavy bass/break beat electro and northern soul, it was well-received by critics who identified dark themes such as urban isolation and unease. I asked the band whether they recognise this description of their music. “We certainly were living quite dystopian existences whilst making this album and that did seep into the music. There’s a coldness about the record that was probably a result of us both being cut off from normal day-to-day living. It’s not a lifestyle I would recommend. Although computers can often fool you into thinking that you’re not alone I wouldn’t like to marry one.”