Penny Arcade

James Hoare channels his efforts as singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer through the Penny Arcade project, which typically occupies the restrained and melancholy corners of indie pop. The sound stays sparse and gentle, relying on lightly strummed guitars alongside Hoare’s hushed vocal delivery. The outfit’s debut full-length, Backwater Collage, arrived in 2024 and carried forward the understated quality of Hoare’s earlier contributions to Veronica Falls, Ultimate Painting, and the Proper Ornaments.

Following an extended period of shared projects, Hoare chose to work independently after the Proper Ornaments released their 2020 album Mission Bells. He also relocated from London to a rural setting, which complicated the recording sessions by requiring the recruitment of successive drummers. Additional setbacks arose when a tape machine failed three-quarters of the way through the album’s creation. Despite determined repair attempts, Hoare ultimately acquired a replacement machine and began the process anew. Vocalist Nathalia Bruno of Index for Working Musik participated in the sessions, as did her bandmate Max Oscarnold, who contributed piano and additional keyboards; Oscarnold had previously collaborated with Hoare in the Proper Ornaments under the name Max Claps.

Once the tracks were completed and mixed, the German imprint Tapete released the pastoral and nocturnal Backwater Collage in May 2024. In the wake of its appearance, Penny Arcade began preparations for live performances while Hoare readied himself for a subsequent move to Brussels.