We were lucky enough to catch up with the exquisite New York-based artist MINUS32HEARTBEAT following the brilliant single release, ‘This City Shines So Bright’. Enjoy the full interview below.
Hi, MINUS32HEARTBEAT; tell us about yourself.
My name is Matt Friedlander. I used to play guitar and write songs in a band called The GoStation. We were around in the early aughts in the NYC rock scene rebirth. After taking a long break from music, I formed this solo project.
What is your songwriting process?
It sorta changes from day to day. One thing that remains constant is that the lyrics always come last, partially because I tend to derive a lot of the mood and context of what a song is about from what the music is doing and also because I’m a terrible lyricist.
But things usually start with me strumming out a chord progression on a guitar, or finding some sort of piano or synth riff, or even building things off of strange noises I hear in the city.
It’s a very organic and fun process for me because I’m privy to these Eureka moments where things all come together, and something so sparse evolves into this piece of music I’m proud of.
Tell us about your brilliant latest single, ‘This City Shines So Bright’?
This was one of the more recent songs that I wrote for the upcoming album. A lot of the album is very textured and has these really cool ambient and electronic touches, but I was really in the mood to write a two guitars-one bass-drums-vocals song that was more akin to the music I used to make back in The GoStation. I kinda found the chord progression and then started messing with lead parts that weren’t overly fussy but provided some tonal and textural difference from what the rhythm guitar was doing.
There’s a lot of Longwave and Strokes-esque guitar interplay happening, and I’ve been a fan of those bands for years. Lyrically, I was reflecting on some things that transpired during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I had a lot of personal and professional relationships fractured during the spring and summer of 2020, and I had never really written about them. One of the things I dig about this song is that it’s probably the most upbeat song on the album from a strictly musical perspective, but the lyrics are depressing as shit.
What message do you think your music conveys to your fans?
Not sure there is a message. Lyrically, I’m all over the place, and I don’t ever really feel comfortable going into specific details about what my songs are about. I hope that they convey some fairly universal themes.
And if someone listens to one of my songs and can apply it to something they’ve gone through in their own life, then cool – that’s part of the magic behind what music is capable of. Above all, I just hope people like the songs.
‘This City Shines So Bright’ is an indie-rock release; what draws you to the genre?
I mean, I grew up listening to rock and roll. I love rock and roll. I’ll always love rock and roll. I get why certain songs and certain artists have extremely polished productions, and sometimes I’m all for it if it suits the needs of what that music is trying to accomplish.
I made this record in a bedroom in an apartment with me. I’m not the world’s best engineer or producer, so there had to be a certain amount of “commercialism” sacrificed to get to the final square on the board. Making an indie rock record wasn’t so much something I was drawn to as much as it was the most viable option.
Who are your musical influences?
Anyone who knows me has heard me wax ecstatic about Oasis. I don’t care what anyone says – they wrote some of the greatest music, lyrics, and melodies of our generation. I’m also a huge Velvet Underground and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club fan, and I love the sonic qualities they put into their records. Absolutely timeless.
While making this album, I was listening to a bunch of film scores by the contemporary greats. Zimmer, Thomas Newman, Trent & Atticus, Colin Stetson — that stuff may have bled into some of the albums as well.
Who are your non-musical influences?
Walt Whitman. Chef Scott Bryan. The bartenders at Holiday Cocktail Lounge. Iced coffee.
You are based in New York; what’s the live music scene like there in 2024?
It’s still alive, and it’s still kicking. I don’t think that things are like they were 20-25 years ago when the music scene was all the rage on an international level. I think things were already really tough before the pandemic hit with rising rents and venues closing.
So that second punch from COVID-19 turned a lot of lights off, literally and figuratively. But this is still a great city, and there’s still a ton of great music being made and played.
What scares you most when releasing music?
The invoice. Haha, no, I honestly don’t really have any fears when it comes to putting something out. I’ve been around this and doing this for so long that the things that used to freak me out…I’ve just kinda gotten over them. I used to drive myself crazy thinking that a song or a record wasn’t “perfect” – whatever that means. Or that people wouldn’t like it or wouldn’t get it or that it wouldn’t live up to imaginary expectations I had created in my head.
That’s a ridiculous way to go about making music. I write songs, I play a bunch of instruments, I record it, I put it out. As far as I’m concerned, once I’ve accomplished that, I’ve done my job and I’ve done it well.
What do you think are the biggest obstacles for bands/artists today?
I think some bands or artists could face some discouragement if they’re looking to make a living doing this, especially if they’re looking to be the next big thing. There’s a ton of music out there; it’s saturating, and it’s coming at people from all angles, especially on social media. Curating a big fanbase and actually monetizing your work can definitely be a struggle for a lot of people.
What advice would you give to other bands/artists starting out?
All those things I just mentioned – don’t stress about them. Pick up your instrument or your microphone and just play. Write every single day, even if 99% of it is garbage. And just keep putting yourself out there. When you run out of money, save more. When you run out of gigs to play, get creative. And be very, very smart about who you choose to partner with, both creatively and professionally.
Eventually, someone is going to hear your music, and they’ll either get it or they won’t. And if they don’t get it, your thoughts shouldn’t be that you failed – they should be that it’s just too bad, and move on.
‘This City Shines So Bright’ is taken from a forthcoming album. Can you tell us more about the highly anticipated release?
The album is called ‘DHRICMV’, and it will be released on all streaming services and vinyl on September 6th. I’ve got a vinyl pre-sale happening on my website (www.minus32heartbeat.com) and have been shipping out the early orders as they come in because I’ve never cared much for following iron-clad rules regarding how and when someone should hear my music. It’s an album that I’m really proud of.
I’ve wanted to make it for over 15 years, and it’s a huge box that I’ve checked off a relatively short list. I put together a live band with some really talented musicians, and we’ll play some shows once the album is out. And then it’ll be time to go back into that second bedroom and make the next one.
FVMusicBlog June 2024
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