Not one, not two, but a trio of releases from Matthew Spreen entered our reality not too long ago and we sat down with the well-rounded artist to talk about how a past with visual arts helped his present, current collabs, and more — like minimalism in music. All of that and then some as we centralized this conversation.

Kendra: You noted you grew up surrounded by the creative arts, visual arts to be specific. How do you think that foundation has helped you pave the way for not one, not two, but three varied releases this year – all back to back? 

Matthew Spreen: Yeah, I’d say that my visual arts background has deeply impacted my sense of music and how it can be enhanced by a multimedia presentation. I also think our brains absorb so many visuals and sensorial memories that can be reawakened by sounds. I think this is why music is so personal and universal at the same time since all these colours and frequencies are constantly coming back to us in different forms so they overlap and blend and remind each other. 

I’d say my song “Lobstervision” is my purest exploration of enhanced visuals through music. I read somewhere that lobsters can see twice as many colours as humans and that fact has always made me very curious. It is an absolute sense of fantasy. An impossible range of colours I will never see! 

So I figured why not attempt to push my inner eye with an evolving psychedelic episode that also sounded underwater. Maybe I could see what a lobster can see for a few minutes. I find a lot of inspiration from visuals and channel them into music and maybe that helps me be as prolific as I am.

Kendra: You’ve also been traveling the solo route for some time now, but for these three releases, you were joined on two of them; Kameka on one and BLK MTR on another. Was a conscious decision made to go into ‘Melodized Yearning’ alone? 

Matthew Spreen: Both Kameka and BLK MTR have been collaborators and mentors lately and definitely enhance the soundscapes of the other two albums. But our group project “KAZM” is primarily out of my hands in terms of mixing and mastering so my solo projects are mostly a way for me to practice and improve in all the other areas of music. 

Collaborating in songwriting and production was important for me to do on the other two albums but “Melodized Yearning” is particular and has a certain theme and nature that, to me, is emphasized by true independence and solitude. It is a lonely and reflective album. I also find it the most vulnerable and intimate and in that sense the production is raw and the delivery is minimal. It shouldn’t have anything more than what it has to say. 

Kendra: I ask because that’s the album that spoke to me most as I often think of the past, but what I found most interesting was the past lives and that connection to the overall minimalism of the record. Is this in response to the rising dependence we have on modern technology at all? 

Matthew Spreen: I think it is. I think maybe both of us grew up in the golden age of indie and garage and minimalist folk when things didn’t have to be so damn polished to match some playlist or algorithm. 

Back in the day, all that had to happen was things had to be unique and highly creative, and heart-felt. I do feel that pressure of “standard” that holds me back from releasing music I otherwise love. I also think I wouldn’t have been comfortable releasing this album without the accompaniment of the other two albums. “Melodized Yearning” is very naked. It’s full of loss and vulnerability.

“Verbalized Thinking” is all style and linguistic tricks and many people say it’s a big strength of mine. So that one was easy to release. “Centralized Dreaming” has a strong sense of positivity and dynamic and refinement and I’m very proud of the boundaries I’ve pushed with it. It was the true sequel is “Decentralized Living.”

“Melodized Yearning” was an opportunity to slip in some backstory and also salvage some quality material without coming off like I wasn’t moving forward in life. I’m really glad you liked it. I also like it.

Kendra: We talked about if your background helped you with releasing three albums back to back, but now I want to know what inspired you to release a trio of albums that showcase different sides of yourself instead of doing what some might do and that’s showcase all those various sides on one LP? 

Matthew Spreen: When I like a record it’s because I can put it on from the start and it sets a mood that mood flows and evolves tell the end. There are themes to settle into and, when settled, the subtleties become more clear. I think too much of a back-and-forth juxtaposition of genre and theme and story would affect the details and, basically, I felt like I had three personalities trying to come out at the same time. 

I did try though, at first, to find a good track list for one LP. I showed some friends and family and everyone was quite partial to different things. So I figured I’ll make completely different albums and everyone can just enjoy the one album they enjoy and that’ll be that. 

Kendra: You explore a number of styles on these releases, but is there a genre of music you’ve treated as your sort of white whale? That genre you’re not necessarily scared to approach, but just aren’t sure how to go about it just yet? 

Matthew Spreen: Oh, definitely! I have a few big ideas that are still beyond my performance and financial limitations but I’m slowly chipping away at their actualization. I’ve always wanted to properly work with incredible brass and string players and vocalists. Compose beyond my guitar, bass, and vocal means and record in a real concert hall with a real engineering team. 

All my records to date have been home-studio efforts. My white whale would be a very jazzy record and also a very performance-based and somewhat theatrical record. I often take the casual delivery approach but there’s a big and bold songster buried deep inside that would love to find its way out.

Kendra: Time for a side note – With it being April, I’m asking everyone to think of a pair of tickets to any concert ever that they’d want to find in their Easter basket. Artists can be living or dead, past or present. Which concert or tour would you have loved to see? 

Matthew Spreen: To say one concert makes me immediately mourn all I didn’t say. But if I’m going to follow the rules of the question it would be a joint tour of Gabriels and Hozier with special guest Mariam Makeba.

Kendra: Lastly, with three records out now, what else can fans expect as 2024 rolls on?

Matthew Spreen: A big release with a group project called “KAZM” and a lot of performances with that group mostly around Montreal.