What’s your name and where are you currently based?
Our names are Matt Storm and Ivan Hartle, and we are both currently based out of Vancouver, Canada.
IVAN: Obviously covid has hit the music industry pretty hard, but I’ve been trying to make the most of the time. I’ve been fortunate to play some smaller solo/duo gigs, and also have been recording and writing new material. Like everyone else though, I’m looking forward to some normalcy returning, and getting back to playing more live shows.
MATT: I’ve been working with Ivan in the studio for years now. We always have a few songs on the go, and he came in for a session with a list of “to do’s”. We both really weren’t in the mood to be productive, so I fired up the Wurlitzer and he started playing the “More To Find” chords. I loved it, and quickly went about making the beat behind it. Once the groove was there, he knew I was itching to get on the track. We helped each other sort out the lyrics, and by the end of the night we had basically the whole song done.
IVAN: What Matt mentioned above is spot on. It was really cool and inspiring to ride the flow of inspiration together when making this song.
IVAN: I listen to a bunch of different artists/genre’s, but I definitely think that this song is heavily influenced by both Matt and mine’s love of Jazz and R&B.
MATT: Yeah for sure. I also had a vision for the sound, I wanted it to be really raw and not polished sounding. There is no reverb on the track, and very little processing. To me, some of my favourite stuff sounds like you’re right there with the artist, a part of the recording process. This song struck me as a perfect candidate for that style of production, so we took it there all the way. What you’re hearing is basically the rough mix, that’s where the vibe is.
MATT: Orchid Studios in East Vancouver. That’s where we do all our stuff. There is some really cool vintage gear there, that has a sound to it. Mastered in the same building at Suite Sound Labs by Greg Mindorff.
IVAN: Like we mentioned, this all came together quickly and naturally. In that sense, the spontaneous approach to recording “More to Find” was refreshing, and it left no time for us to overanalyze/nitpick the song.
MATT: The Wurlitzer keyboard that Ivan played is really the star. There is some muted bass I put in there. The drums are actually just me tapping on an Acoustic Guitar. Then I blew up the low end in Logic, and made it thump. A little jazzy electric guitar solo at the end too.
IVAN: Matt and I have done a bunch together over the last two years. Matt has recorded/engineered and produced all of my released music to date, and we’ve also gigged and toured together. The experience has always been great, as our outlook on music and our influences definitely align.
IVAN: I love all sorts of music genres, but lately, I’d say my top favourites are Son Little, Khruangbin, and the early recordings of Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers.
MATT: Ivan introduced me to The Mills Brothers recently, lately “You Always Hurt The One You Love” has been on repeat.
IVAN: I played college baseball in the US, so I still like to get out and play a little bit, whenever it isn’t raining in Vancouver. I also love to go camping around B.C. whenever I can.
MATT: Obsessed with Chess lately. I’ve also been really enjoying a nice walk up in the snowy mountains.
IVAN: I have some more music to release in the near future. Other than that, I’m hoping to continue writing, and then get back on the road as soon as possible to play some shows!
MATT: Hoping to get out to the East coast of Canada!
IVAN: Same thing for me.
MATT: Lately we get lattes and cookies, and meet up at the basketball court. It’s just the truth.
IVAN: Yep…what Matt said.
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