INTERVIEW
ENDEM AND ROB IRISH
MUSIC
FRANCOISE HARVEY TALKS ABOUT LOCKDOWN COLLABORATION AND NAVIGATING RADIOACTIVE HOTSPOTS WITH RAPPER ENDEM AND PRODUCER ROB IRISH Endem and Rob Irish always intended to go to Chernobyl – yes, that Chernobyl – to shoot a music video, but they didn’t expect a pandemic to force them to rebook their flights three times, or expect that delay to prompt the writing of an entire album based around their trip. “It was originally booked for the end of May, and because the lockdown happened in March, we were like ‘It’ll be gone by May, won’t it, this whole pandemic thing?’” says Rob Irish, laughing at their optimism.
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“We’re still owed a load of money off Ryanair,” says Endem, shaking his head. Acute Radiation Poisoning is a lockdown album and Endem says it would never have been finished without the duo being stuck at home. Initially a four-track EP, it avalanched into an album when Endem needed a new beat for one of his songs. He went to Rob, who he’s worked with exclusively as his producer since 2018, though they’ve been friends for far longer. “Rob showed me the beat and I was like ‘Ah, that’s mint’. I started
