Ian began to work on some songs with Helena. He had heard her singing at a friend’s party after a couple of other musical projects had run their course. The product was the first Tiger Mendoza release. “The Hope Sick EP” was released in September 2009. It blended lo-fi pop with a taste for breaks and electronica.
The line-up has shifted since then. It moved from a band to an evolving list of collaborators. It is centered around Ian De Quadros and features a variety of different guests. These guests include Asher Dust. David Griffiths (ex-Witches, Eeblee) is also included. Other guests are Emma Hunter, Ian Mitchell (Little Red / Barrelhaus), and Kate Herridge (Ocean Ruins / Dakorra). The desire is to collaborate and learn from other people and musicians. At the same time, the goal is to maintain a central sound and identity. This is what makes the Tiger Mendoza a difficult beast to pin down. The most recent project was ONETWOTHREE. It is a trio of EPs. These EPs cross various genres. They range from rave era breaks to soul to genuine sad bangers.
L-R: Asher Dust, Helena, Ian, Half Decent, Dave Griffiths, Luke Allmond, Dan Clear
Somewhat unusually for a “producer”, playing live is just as important as working in the studio. The live shows range from solo performances to full band line-ups. These involve regular collaborators like Dan Clear on guitar and Tom Martin on live visuals. There is also a revolving cast of friends and collaborators, including Mila Todd and Octavia Freud. The idea behind these live sets is not to treat them like glorified karaoke jam sessions. Instead, it’s to build on and enhance the original tracks. This creates a truly live experience. Ian is also a prolific producer. He works as a remixer for other artists. Some of these artists are Public Enemy, DJ Shadow, Stornoway, Half Decent, Lucy Leave, BreezeWax, and Julia Meijer.
