motel void

Riddle M recently released his new album Lo Stereo, a raw and eclectic collection of 18 tracks that showcase his signature lo-fi sound. We talked with him about the album’s writing and recording process, his move to Chicago, and the local indie scene he’s just beginning to explore.

MOTEL VOID: Your latest album Lo Stereo just came out, congratulations! Can you walk us through the writing and recording process?

RIDDLE M: Yeah! So, I wrote and recorded close to a hundred songs within the past year and took out 18 songs that had felt the most cohesive together. I usually start the writing process with a certain melody or lyric in mind sometimes both together. After that I usually experiment with a guitar in hand, and it ends up developing spontaneously. I usually will have the writing and recording process intertwine which I guess makes me able to finish songs faster. I also record on four track so I’m pretty limited on what I can do which helps to know when a track is done instead of tweaking around with multiple tracks for a long period of time on every detail if I were to record it on logic or pro tools.

MOTEL VOID: As an artist based in Chicago, how would you describe the current indie music scene in the city? Are there any venues or local artists that have caught your attention recently?

RIDDLE M: So, I just moved into Chicago a week ago, but it’s been great so far! I would say the indie/ DIY scene is great here. There’s a lot of venues and houses to play. I also have a lot of friends here that play in bands so it’s nice to be around. Actually, I went to three shows in a row this past weekend and I’d suggest The Fallen Log and The Apartment Chicago which books at different locations all around Chicago. For Artists I would say my friends Gerfety and Carter Ward are really good.

MOTEL VOID: Your new album features 18 tracks, many of which are around two minutes or even shorter. What inspired you to embrace such concise song lengths?

RIDDLE M: Well, when I usually write I don’t feel the need to add an extra chorus or bridge leaving the songs shorter than usual. I also dabbled into it taking influence from a lot of Guided by Voices catalog. I love it when songs are short and go into the next so that’s what I wanted to do with this next record.

MOTEL VOID: What are your biggest musical influences or sources of inspiration at the moment? Are there any artists or experiences that have particularly shaped your sound on Lo Stereo?

RIDDLE M: Well as I previously mentioned GBV I’d say all the other lo-fi gods like Cleaners from Venus and R. Steve Moore. I would say the Most influential record I listened to while recording most of these songs was the album ‘Oar’ by Alexander Skip Spence. It’s a very weird record but I can’t really put my finger on anything that sounds like it. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t heard.

MOTEL VOID: Can fans look forward to any live shows or performances before the year is over? Do you have any plans for touring or events to promote the album?

RIDDLE M: I don’t have any shows before the year ends but I might have one pop out here. I plan to have a good number of gigs within the new year. I just moved to Chicago so I probably will be playing a lot locally. For shows I would check my Instagram to see where I will be playing next.