Robo Pumpkin - Sound In The Signals Interview
I recently had the opportunity to interview Max Adams of Robo Pumpkin. We discussed new song “Tougher Times”, lyrical inspiration, the writing and recording process for the upcoming album, being part of Chillwavve’s ‘Chillmas’ release, and more. Check it out below.
First, thanks for the interview.
Thanks for having me.
You’re releasing your new song “Tougher Times” on December 30th. It’s the first single from your new album. Why did you choose it as the first single?
It's definitely a dark part of the album. Tougher times is somewhat of a lyrical low point, however more by implication. I believe without the contexts of the prior songs, tougher times will sound completely different as a single rather than in the context of the album. The idea of this is really interesting to me so I thought it would be fun to experiment with it.
I really like how the guitar sounds on the song. How long did you work on guitars for it?
It took a couple hours for John and I to record it, but it was mostly just experimenting with effects. We had a blast, and were both really happy with how it turned out.
What was your lyrical inspiration for it?
The entire album will be following a narrative, and this song is near the end of the story. I took inspiration from a lot of places - mostly music, TV, video games, and my life. The explicit inspiration I would like to leave up to interpretation because I feel it could be somewhat underwhelming.
You recorded it with John Zajac. What was it like to collaborate on the album?
This is the first time I've recorded with someone else on Robo Pumpkin. It took some getting used to, but as I got more comfortable recording became seamless. We've had a great time recording so far. We've had a ton of fun experimenting with different effects and ideas on how to make the album unique, but all in the pursuit of making a much higher quality record than any of my previous.
Did you try anything different in the writing or recording process this time around?
As opposed to doing everything by myself in my bedroom, this time around I chose a much more “professional” approach, recording in a studio, as well as taking much more time to write the album. Though I'm very happy with most of my prior works, I have yet to really sit down and take my time with a record so this was a great change of pace.
What can you tell me about the album so far?
The album is a story of loss, failed romance, and unhealthy mourning. I don't wish to spoil the narrative too much, as the first listening experience is really important to me.
You also released a new song for Chillwavve’s ‘Chillmas’. How did it work out for you to be part of that release?
“From Away” will be the second single for the album release which we plan to release in late January.
You’ve been building a lot of buzz in the emo community and it feels like this upcoming album could get you even more exposure. What do you think it is about your music that is connecting with people?
It's hard to say. I like to think I'm pretty genuine in my music and can make things people can relate to, however sometimes I feel my music can get so specific it's hard to imagine someone in the same position. The unique instrumentation I assume has a lot to do with it as well.
Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Do you have anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for having me, I hope everyone enjoys what I've made :)
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