Two Door Cinema Club were unquestionably the biggest breakout band of 2010. Their debut album ‘Tourist History’ was a massive success, winning the 2010 Choice Music Prize for best Irish album and reaching number one on the Irish Independent Album Chart. They dominated the Irish airwaves with tracks like ‘Undercover Martyn’ and ‘What You Know’ and their Oxegen set was heralded as one of the highlights of the festival (I can attest to this, I was there). They followed that with 2012’s ‘Beacon’ and the EP ‘Changing of the Seasons’. However, for the past three years the band was silent. This year they have made a triumphant return to music with the album ‘Gameshow’.

‘Gameshow’ is quite different from their previous releases. Kevin told me this was organically the record they wanted to make, but it definitely reflects their interests and influences at the time. They aren’t averse to making music that is different from their previous releases, however it isn’t a truly conscious effort. It has been a gradual progression.

Their different locations (London, LA, Portland), didn’t influence the sound of the record, but it massively influenced the way they wrote the album. They wrote a lot of the album via email rather than sitting together in a room. When I asked Kevin if the break from the band (and each other) majorly influenced the album, he told me it was probably the biggest influence on the record. As we discussed their break and the issues they faced beforehand, I got the impression that a major factor in recording the album was to put their demons and talk of struggles to bed.

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