motel void

Formed in Faenza, Italy in 2016, Mondaze introduced their sound with “Healing Dreams”, a self-produced demo featuring three tracks, released in 2018. It is at the end of 2021 that the band gives vent to its fuzz-infused sounds, creating a refined and immersive record, with enveloping distortions and persistent in its pulsating rhythmic density. “Late Bloom” became an international co-production involving several labels. Three years later Mondaze signed with Bronson Recordings and return with a new album, “Linger”, addressing the theme of alienation in a world devoid of contemplation.

MOTEL VOID: Your debut demo Healing Dreams was released in 2018. How do you feel your sound has evolved since then, leading up to your upcoming album Linger?

MATTEO (MONDAZE): Healing Dreams was some sort of self-recorded (with no skills in home recording) pre-production we just did to improve the composition of our songs. They weren’t meant to be released, but then we thought we’d put out something people could listen to (even if it sounded awful). It turned out that some people enjoyed it, so I think it helped us get out, play shows, and speed up the writing process of Late Bloom. Since then, I think we’ve had the time to define our sound better and improve how we capture on a record what we try to express live.

MOTEL VOID: Your 2021 album Late Bloom received international attention, with involvement from labels in the UK, US, and Germany. How did that widespread collaboration influence the album’s production and distribution?

MATTEO (MONDAZE): Well, it didn’t influence the album production, since we recorded it without any previous collaborations set. But having international labels definitely helped with distribution around the globe.

MOTEL VOID: With Linger set to release soon, the theme of alienation seems to play a central role. Can you tell us more about how that theme shaped the songwriting and sound of the new album?

MATTEO (MONDAZE): It came out pretty naturally. After Late Bloom, we started having this feeling about the way we were (and still are) living. The struggle of grasping the world around us (at least the part we want to). I feel like it kept the way we express ourselves true, as we tried to process these things.

MOTEL VOID: I just returned from a vacation in Italy, and it got me wondering—how would you describe the current music scene there? Are there any local venues or artists that stand out to you?

MATTEO (MONDAZE): I think we’re living through good times for music here. There are a lot of venues working hard, and I think it’s helping spread a passion for live shows. The Italian music scene is very prolific with a wide range of sounds.

MOTEL VOID: You worked with notable names like Chris Fullard and Maurizio Baggio on Linger. What was it like collaborating with them, and how did their contributions impact the final sound of the record?

MATTEO (MONDAZE): It was definitely crucial in shaping the sound of this album, refining it to its fullest. Late Bloom took us a lot of time to enhance during the writing process. We wanted to be more efficient on Linger. We had the chance to set up a pre-production with the help of Andrea Cola, defining the compositions we had so far. Also, recording with Andrea Scardovi at Duna Studio was lovely, as we spent time finding the perfect settings and deepening the compositions even more.