Leaves With Lunar Twin: An Interview

Distance hasn’t seemed to create any issues for producer Chris Murphy and vocalist/lyricist Bryce Boudreau of Lunar Twin as the duo is back with the debut of their new music video on SLUGMag.com for their single “Leaves,” a track from their upcoming album, Ghost Moon Ritual. Murphy continues to reside in Salt Lake City and Boudreau in Hawaii. “I guess it’s kind of become second nature and not something we think about too much anymore,” Boudreau says as he and Murphy pass demos back and forth to create their music.

When Murphy and Boudreau first envisioned the video for “Leaves,” they came up with potential themes for it such as death and rebirth, fog, memories, longing, ghosts and most importantly: the Bay Area. The two were introduced to Zoey Nyguen, whom they asked to film their video. The video was filmed in San Francisco, near where Nyguen lives. “I’ve only visited a handful of times, but each time I was there it was very memorable for me,” Murphy says. He imagined what San Francisco is like during fall with all the smells and feelings that come with it. “For me, I wanted to record the feeling of autumn.”

With shots of Russian Hill and Chinatown, you’ll notice the people being filmed are walking alone. This is by coincidence, as Nyguen filmed them mainly for their ‘vibe.’ It felt right to her because it’s as if each person is encountering the city with their own separate story. “I can see where anyone might draw their own meaning from those visuals,” Boudreau says. One way that Boudreau connected to his own video is seeing a shot of Li Po Cocktail Lounge basement where he saw Red Bennies, a local SLC band, play.

“Sometimes rigid expectations can create a false ceiling.”

The final version of “Leaves” was not what Murphy and Boudreau had first imagined it to be. “Sometimes rigid expectations can create a false ceiling,” Boudreau says. He was surprised by and loved how Nyguen interpreted their song through the video. Murphy tends to let the mood he’s in lead him in the direction the music goes. “It always starts with an idea, but there’s a number of directions the track could lead to,” Murphy says. His vision on the track wasn’t the exact same as he imagined it to be. “It might not work out at all, but then at least you’ve gained some experience.”

Being experimental and open to new sounds for their new record was an important part of their process. “The longer I work with Bryce and hear his vocal style, the quicker I can tell if a track will work for our project,” Murphy says. He feels that he’s become better at mixing and producing too. Murphy has the most fun creating music by experimenting: “It’s helpful to experiment and try out ideas that you normally might not.”

Their first album, Night Tides, came together as the two wrote and finished their songs one at a time over the span of two years. With Ghost Moon Ritual, it was a little different. The two made raw demos throughout the year and built on top of those demos until they were finished off into complete songs. Murphy’s Desert Heat studio was used for the recording of the record. They also had help from friend Scott Selfridge at IMD Recordings, who encouraged the duo with material and physical support and helped master the record.

“For me, each new album is like a personal timestamp.”

Murphy’s synth setup has also changed a bit since the release of the first Lunar Twin album. Preamps and microphones have been added, though Murphy admits that he’s bad with getting rid of his equipment. Old guitars and electronic drums sitting in his studio may never be touched again, but are still nice to have around. “You never know when a certain instrument will breathe new life into an old track,” Murphy says.

Both Murphy and Boudreau have gone through various life changes since their debut album. “It was written during turbulent times, personally, and maybe for the world in general,” Boudreau says. Ghost Moon Ritual is different than any of their previous works. Murphy feels that he can look back at older records that he’s been a part of and remember where he was and what inspired him to make music back then. “For me, each new album is like a personal timestamp.” Murphy says. His instrumentation and soundscapes are diverse, which influenced and inspired the divergent lyrical themes from past releases.

“Live your life on your terms. Don’t give up and don’t give in.” Boudreau hopes this is a message that fans take away from “Leaves.” Ghost Moon Ritual will be available soon on limited-edition lathe-cut vinyl, digital and CD, but there’s no confirmation for it being on tape yet, as their debut album was.

Be ready to check out their music video today. Meanwhile, Murphy and Boudreau have both worked on other collaborations. Boudreau recorded lead vocals on a song with Italian dark-wave band Unruly Girls, due for release in 2020. Murphy has been working on a project with Lindsay Heath and has worked with his siblings on another project. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled while we wait on Lunar Twin’s new record release, and check out their new video on SLUG‘s YouTube below:

More on SLUGMag.com:

Lunar Twin: Riding the Night Tide
Local Review: Lunar Twin – Night Tides