Electronic dream-pop visionary Futurecop! returns with a cinematic new chapter, unveiling the official music video for ‘I’m Missing You’, his collaboration with Japanese artist YUSA, taken from the latest album 'Wind Town & Flowers'. Known for crafting immersive, emotionally rich soundscapes, Futurecop! (the project of Manchester-born producer Manzur Iqbal) continues to blur the lines between indie-pop, synthwave, and nostalgic storytelling.
Built on shimmering synth textures and sun-soaked melodies, ‘I’m Missing You’ captures the fleeting beauty of memory and romance, drawing inspiration from Japanese television dramas and their deeply human, heartfelt narratives. That same spirit is brought vividly to life in the accompanying video, directed by Anise Mariko Lew, which follows a woman returning to her seaside hometown and reconnecting with fragments of her past.
So with the new single out now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument I really fell in love with was the electric guitar. I remember hearing Rage Against the Machine as a kid and realising that music could unlock this huge, untapped energy inside you.
As I got older, though, synthesisers became the instrument that really captured me. The pad sounds from synths had this emotional, almost ethereal quality that could completely move you. At the time, it felt so far beyond my understanding — I thought synths were too technical for me.
That changed when I fell in love with regency of bands creating electronic music from their laptops at home in the 2000s. Also, I remember hearing the lead sound on Mylo’s “In My Arms” (which samples Bette Davis Eyes) and also the synth textures in Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia.” That made me realise that if I could just learn how those sounds were made, I could create that feeling myself, but do it my own way.
That curiosity opened the door to discovering so many artists and influences — and it’s where I started to first discover classic ’80s bands, film composers, and ambient music. Artists like Enya, The Cure, Joe Hisaishi and Hans Zimmer, who use rich synth pads and emotional textures, really inspired me. It made me want to create music that captures that uplifting, nostalgic feeling.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
My taste was always pretty diverse. I grew up listening to everything from The Smiths, The Libertines, The Strokes, MGMT, Deftones, Weezer, Pavement, The Get Up Kids and American Football to more electronic acts like The Prodigy.
At the same time, I was also drawn to really heartfelt songwriting from artists like Dave Matthews Band, Goo Goo Dolls and Bruce Hornsby. I think that mix of emotional songwriting and high-energy music definitely shaped what I make now.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I remember there was an offer in a magazine when I was younger where you could order a few albums, and my mum helped me get them. The three I chose were Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette, Evil Empire by Rage Against the Machine, and Exit Planet Dust by The Chemical Brothers.
Looking back, that combination kind of sums up my taste even now — emotional songwriting, energy, and electronic music.
What is the one song you wish you could have written yourself?
“Name” by the Goo Goo Dolls. There’s something about that song that’s just timeless. I love it so much that I'm sure some essence of this song is carried within all my songs.
Do you have any habits or rituals when writing new music?
I have a studio, but when I start writing, I like to keep things really simple — usually just a MacBook, a MIDI keyboard, and lying in bed. When I sit in a studio, it can start to feel like work.
The moments I enjoy most are when I create a small loop — maybe just a few bars — that captures the feeling I’m chasing. Sometimes I’ll just let that loop play over and over because I know the magic is there. Occasionally, I’m even hesitant to expand it, because once you start adding too much, you can lose that original spark.
Each album also tends to have a theme inspired by things I’ve been watching, reading, or listening to over the past year or two. I like to go down rabbit holes — old films, obscure music, random cultural moments — and let those influences shape the world of the album while still keeping the Futurecop sound.
For example, the last album was inspired by ’90s Japanese TV shows. I fell into this deep rabbit hole of those series, and the storytelling and music from them really influenced the record.
Who are your favourite artists you’ve been listening to recently?
Lately, I’ve been exploring more IDM. Artists like Aphex Twin, Espirit.wav and Vegyn.
But I’m a bit unusual in the sense that I’m constantly discovering “new” music that might actually be an old song. For me music discovery is timeless — something from 30 years ago can still feel completely new when you hear it for the first time.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
If we’re talking about artists from the past, it would be Enya. For a current artist, I’d say Justice.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The happiness that comes from creating music. The journey of chasing a feeling and finally finding it through sound is incredibly rewarding.
Even if it takes hours or days to get there, when you finally capture that emotion in a track, it gives you this deep sense of accomplishment. It genuinely feels like the thing I’m meant to be doing.
And what is the most frustrating part?
I think the mixing process at the end of the song, it could go on forever! It’s never-ending. I won’t say it's frustrating, but it takes a long time!
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Futurecop!'s new single 'I'm Missing You' is available to stream now. Watch the new video for it in the player below.