Minneapolis’ Rupert Angeleyes drips sweet psych rock in his latest LP, ‘Pillow Talk,’ released in April.

Like Kevin Parker, Rupert took charge, playing nearly all the instruments himself for this 7-track dreamscape. Previously based in LA and known for collaborations with bands like Sleeping in the Aviary, Joey Joey Michaels, and Hot Freaks, Rupert has honed his unique sound. His third record delivers buttery tracks with French whispers and sultry saxophone layers.

Reflecting on ‘Pillow Talk,’ Rupert shares, “My 20s were a struggle for love and appreciation. Between 2017 and 2020, I sought validation in superficial ways, but it was an essential journey of self-exploration.”

“I liken creative control to watercolor painting”

What was the inspiration behind the title “Pillow Talk” for your latest album?

Rupert Angeleyes: Titles are tricky. The majority of the songs are lyrically intimate. The term “Pillow Talk” refers to something you say to a partner as you are falling asleep. I often talk to my partner half asleep not knowing what I’m saying. It is often nonsense. However, it can be strangely honest.

You mentioned playing 90% of the instruments yourself for this record. How did that influence the creative process compared to collaborating with other musicians?

The best thing about playing everything yourself is that you don’t have to deal with egos or drama. If you’re in a band with full creative democracy, choices become complicated quickly. Someone wants to play jazz, someone wants to play punk, someone’s mad and stubbornly won’t take any criticism… the list goes on. I liken creative control to watercolor painting. There is this little dish that you wet your brush with every time you paint a different color. If you paint with enough colors, the little dish turns dark brown. By reducing the number of opinions, my music becomes crystallized into a direct and vivid color. To contradict myself, I do send demos to close friends to see if I’m on the right track or not. Sometimes I am the leader, calling the shots; sometimes I’m a supporting band member in other projects. I prefer one or the other… supporting someone without criticism or being decisive and steering the ship. From either perspective, the aesthetic of the project will come out more succinct.

<a href="https://rupertangeleyes.bandcamp.com/album/pillow-talk">Pillow Talk by Rupert Angeleyes</a>

Could you elaborate on your experience of spending your 20s in a long-committed relationship and how that influenced the themes explored in the album?

From roughly age 19 to 26, I was in a relationship with someone. My parents started dating when they were 16 and were together for 53 years until my dad died. Because of this parental model, I figured I found my person and I’d stick it out until my demise as well. However, my relationship with that partner ended. In those early years, one is not quite an adult and doesn’t fully realize who they are. We grew into disparate personalities. ‘Young Sunset,’ one of my previous albums, was about reckoning those feelings.

‘Pillow Talk’ is a collection of songs after that period from roughly age 29 to 32. At that time, I had moved across the country and was figuring out what the next chapter of my life would be. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I superficially wanted to see if other people found me attractive, so I was dating more casually at the time. I was also traveling quite a bit and it was fun to talk to strangers and flirt like a teenager. I wanted ‘Pillow Talk’ to celebrate the necessary foolishness of that time in one’s life.

The music video for ‘In The Light’ has a distinct vintage feel, shot on VHS-C. What significance does this format hold for you, and how does it tie into the album’s themes or aesthetic?

One of the best jobs I ever had was working at a place that converted old super-8s, reel-to-reels, etc. into digital format. (Shout out to Saving Tape Media Conversion). Because of this job, I became well acquainted with VHS-C Panasonic camcorders. I love the limitation of any analog format in that there is a finite amount of recording you can do. This forces one to plan ahead and record with intention. Mostly though, it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than a fancy camera. Thematically or aesthetically, it boils down to pragmatism and familiarity.

Your background includes collaborating with various bands and artists. How has this influenced your solo work, particularly with ‘Pillow Talk’?

I’ve usually been the youngest person in the band. I am the George Harrison. I am thankful that my previous projects gave me insight into what I could become someday. I was the one who signed up and sat down in the back of the van, waking up to play and be the kid wonder. To what benefit or detriment this role was, well, the jury is still out on that one. However, I know how to lead a band because of my experience being the peon.

Playing bass on tour with Dent May influenced my work as well. Like many of my favorite friends, they have great taste in music and show me the types of music they know I’d like. Most of the style of ‘Pillow Talk’ comes from long car rides listening to Dent’s playlists.

Tell us more about the studio time working on your album.

It is a love/hate relationship. In the studio, the writing/arranging of songs occurs simultaneously to recording it. This is when a song is in its tadpole stage. That’s my favorite part. From there, it’s a lot of re-recording, re-amping, etc. After that comes mixing. This part is the most tedious. Sometimes, I have to set a timer for a few hours to force myself on task.

From a technical standpoint, I’ve A/B’d fancy equipment against cheap equipment. I still use a digi 002. My secret weapon for fuzz guitar is DI into the 002 and cranking it so hard that it sputters. I am also a sucker for expensive vintage synthesizers. I believe those are greatly more effective than soft synths. One of my favorites was this broken Korg Polysix. A repair tech told me that the metal chassis could shock me and it was dangerous to play. Every time I played it, it felt like taming a wild animal. I loved it.

I’ve always been building a little studio wherever I lived. Setting up a studio reminds me of making forts when I was a little kid. They are both creating spaces of sanctuary. I am perennially pointing a microphone at something and cursing at Protools for its crashing plug-ins. I love gardening—playing instruments—using my hands in general. This makes it difficult but necessary to stare at a computer screen in a windowless room on a beautiful Summer’s day.

For recording and mixing music, patience is a virtue. Slowly finesse, automate, and reflect. Sleep on it and see if it still makes sense in the morning. A mentor once told me the three rules of writing are “revise, revise, and revise.”

Can you walk us through the process of creating and selecting the tracks for ‘Pillow Talk’?

All the songs on ‘Pillow Talk’ were “beta-tested.” I played many different songs with a band, played recordings of songs, or played songs in front of an audience. The songs that were catalytic for the band, the ones that were most quickly communicated, the ones that got the most applause— those were the songs I curated on ‘Pillow Talk.’ The vast majority of my material doesn’t hit. The only way to find out what is worthwhile is to experiment, explore, and see what people react to.

How would you personally define your sound?

This question is always difficult for me. I don’t think of how I should define myself. I use intuition. Sometimes I’ll write some sultry line, and I will remind myself that my mom (#1 fan) will be listening. However, that should not guide me or censor my creative choices. Honesty is foremost.

I am 36 years old. I still get compared to bands that I loved when I was in high school. Namely, Beck and the Flaming Lips. I confess I haven’t kept up with either of those artists for 20 years. Perhaps those formative years of one’s life are indelible. My job is to make the art. It is someone else’s job to define it. I wish it was jazz. I wish I was Beyoncé. I am aware enough to understand that it is neither.

Let’s end this interview with some of your favorite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

The most recent album that truly broke my brain would be Meridian Brothers’ ‘Cumbia Siglo XXI.’ I’ve often dreamt about taking traditional music and adding broken synthesizers. I would think to myself, “Cumbia and psych would pair so well. Someone should do that.” And they did it. I love that they purposely bleep certain parts, as if it’s a television reality show. In the same vein, I used to have a Moog Country tape that kind of did the same thing.

When I was writing ‘Pillow Talk,’ I was listening to Prefab Sprout’s ‘From Langley Park to Memphis.’ The production is so plastic. I don’t know how to achieve that sanitized perfection. The band China Crisis also has that quality. I suppose those two bands are not new. I was also way into Infinite Bisous’ ‘W/Love.’ The patient rhythm, whispered vocals, and tasteful synths paired well on bright sunny days going for a run around my block.

All of my keyboard ideas come from Stereolab. ‘Dots and Loops’ may be my favorite album of all time. I almost met Laetitia Sadier at a show playing bass for Dent May in London. I don’t really care about celebrities, but definitely almost lost my mind realizing I’d get to meet her. Thankfully, there was a snowstorm and she decided not to come to the show. I played the show much better knowing I didn’t have to talk to one of my idols.

Klemen Breznikar

Headline photo: Preston Holm & Emma Lean

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