motel void

MOTEL VOID: You’re originally from the suburban outskirts of Miami, Florida. How would you describe the current music scene there? Are there any local artists or venues that you would recommend?

AIRHOCKEY: Miami is definitely an interesting city, and although it’s not the first name you think of for live music and bands, there has been a movement and scene that has been taking shape in the shadows. There are so many talented artists and musicians and there is an awareness of what’s new and how to push the boundaries. There aren’t many venues and the last few years has been rough but Gramps is definitely holding down the fort. There are a few others but that is the standout for good sound, thoughtful lineups, decent crowds and fair pay. As far as bands, there are honestly too many to list and although there aren’t many places to perform, Miami is definitely not short on talent! Some of our favs include Mr. Floyd Larry, Firstworld, Las Nubes, Camp Blu, Palomino Blond, Shivva, Beach Mirage, Swivvel, Mold but there are so many more!

MOTEL VOID: Your new single, “little friday,” will be part of your upcoming album. When is it due? And can you tell us about the writing and recording process behind it?

AIRHOCKEY: We are still finalizing dates but will be releasing a series of singles and content leading up to the LP release sometime this fall! This collection of tracks is actually all the unfinished demos we had started over the past couple years. We sat down and organized and revisited everything and were surprised by how we took on new perspectives and pushed boundaries to produce a batch of songs we are super excited to share! We also are lucky enough to be able to write, record, produce, engineer, mix and master our own music, as well as come up with the artwork, so we are involved completely from start to finish with our DIY approach.

MOTEL VOID: Who or what is your biggest inspiration at the moment?

AIRHOCKEY: We have a collective vibe in the band which has changed through time but I would say our biggest influences currently are Eyedress, Beach Fossils, The Radio Dept., Wild Nothing, Cathedral Bells, but quite a bit of our sound also stems from 80s Post-punk and New Wave bands like The Cure or Joy Division, as well as early shoegaze.

MOTEL VOID: Your first single was released back in 2019. How do you think you’ve evolved as artists since then?

AIRHOCKEY: Our first single “You Don’t Mind” actually originated from some jams we recorded on an iPad. We were really drawn to the lo-fidelity nature of that process and wanted to make sure we continued that. Although our sound and recording techniques have evolved quite a bit, we have always tried to balance our core idea with new styles and techniques that have come out through the years. Although the sound changes just a bit with each release, we like how as a collection, the songs feel cohesive yet can push you to different ends of the same universe, if that makes sense.

MOTEL VOID: Do you have plans for a tour to support your new record?

AIRHOCKEY: As of now, we just have a few cities besides Miami we are working on that we think will help with the momentum, but would like to connect the dots as much as possible, especially if we can hop on an exciting bill or open for a bigger act!