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Hi Monica, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
I’ve been great! I just celebrated my birthday by eating sushi almost every day this week. Other than that, I’ve been writing new tunes and making as many weird synthesizer sounds as I can.
Can you talk to us more about your latest single “Compression”?
Compression is an encapsulation of bottled-up anxiousness and uncertainty. Set to vintage drum machines, 70s Funk bass lines, and whacked-out synthesizers. I wrote and recorded everything at home after being laid off from my job. It sat in a folder on my desktop that I would periodically share with the band/friends. It just became a song that everyone kept coming back to. They all related to it as well! So I had engineer Zachary Hollander mix/master it, and here we are!
Did any event in particular inspire you to write this song?
Compression came from the very brief moment of excitement after realizing I was let go from my restaurant job during the Covid-19 pandemic. I finally had all the creative free time I wanted, which led me to figuring out an old 80s Drum Computer I had laying around. I started looping a bass line over it when reality set in–Oh yeah, I need money! I started worrying about my friends and family, and whether or not I always breathed THAT WAY. So I grabbed a microphone and just started singing everything I was worried about.
How was the filming process and experience behind the video?
Areca Roe originally reached out to me about a Compression video early this year. I’ve been a fan of her photography for a few years now, and it was really exciting to get the opportunity to work with her. Because she’s a photographer, she really pays attention to lighting and making sure there are eye-catching portraits. She really made all of us look amazing. We really wanted to stick with a black and white color scheme but use red household items as props since the song was written mainly about being holed up in your home for an indefinite amount of time.
Our guitarist, Orion Treon, luckily lives across the street from Squirrel Haus Art Studio in south Minneapolis and they let us utilize their gallery space between art shows. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have a connection with a big empty space. haha. It’s a really rare thing!
The single comes off your new album – what’s the story behind the title?
The Quarantine EP is definitely a musical rationalization to stay busy during the pandemic. I always have trouble titling work in a symbolic or artistic way. It’s really just that– music made in the lockdown.
How was the recording and writing process?
Recording was actually quite tricky! I had written Compression and the song after, So Alone, by myself. It was tough because I couldn’t be in the same room as the band. I knew they were all stuck at home and feeling just as frustrated. Through a lot of trial and error, we all ended up purchasing Logic Pro X and emailing sessions to each other. We tested this method out with cover songs, Do it Clean by Echo and the Bunnymen and an obscure Linda McCartney track, The Light Comes From Within. It was kind of a weird way of digitally filling the blanks. I really never knew what to expect when I got a track, but it was always a really pleasant surprise. I really creatively trust each member.
What role does Minneapolis play in your music?
Minneapolis is an extremely supportive town that really takes stock in the local music scene. We’re a good 6+ hours away from any other major city, so it feels a little tucked away from outside connections. It’s a little isolating at times, but it makes traveling all the more exciting. Also in Minnesota, we’re in unbearably cold weather a good chunk of the year. It’s always an acceptable excuse to stay home because of the weather. And when it is nice out, I can escape to the woods or a lake pretty quickly. I love being able to hole away and write. I think being able to access that kind of solitude is good for creativity.
How did the pandemic influence the writing on this record?
The pandemic really gave me the time to delve deeper into home recording. I was able to fine tune tones, get faster at mixing and editing and really get to know the instruments I’ve accumulated throughout the years. I’ve had a MXR Drum Computer from the 80s gathering dust in the corner for a long time now. It really required a lot of research and trail and error to get it functioning. Now it’s a huge part in my writing process. I have NO CLUE how to play the drums, so having a drum looping in the background is always one less thing to think about.
Where else did you find the inspiration for the songs and lyrics?
I have a pretty tough time being vague about how I feel, so lyrics have always been pretty on the nose. I have a tendency to cycle through and replay all my worries and petty gripes in my head. It’s definitely helpful to write down and try to rationalize my exact feelings on a situation. By the time I’m done with the song, I’m also done thinking about it and ready to move on. Every musician always talking about it being therapeutic, but it really is. It’s also really necessary for me, if I don’t go through it often, I’m a total wackadoo.
What else is happening next in Monica LaPlante’s world?
There’s definitely more songs written in the past year that are tucked away in storage. A new album is definitely on the horizon. It’s all a matter of timing and logistics now that everyone is busy and out in the world again. In the meantime, I’ve been playing in my band member’s projects.
We just all have a mutual respect for each other’s writing that we HAVE TO be apart of it. Guitarist Orion Treon has a band called Extraterrestrials that I play bass in. Bassist, Christy Costello has also been itching to return to writing her own songs and guitar playing. And drummer Austin Cecil is the only drummer for the job! He’s basically a human drum machine. We’ve also recently acquired a synthesizer and some weird stuff has come out of that. It’s becoming a collective. STAY TUNED.
