Q&A: Eleven Albums In, Ruby Haunt Sound Better Than Ever on New Single "Wish"
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
SOME BANDS MAKE MUSIC THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SEASON - Ruby Haunt make music that sounds like the moment a season changes. They capture that liminal, in-between feeling when something is ending and you can't quite name what's beginning. The Los Angeles duo have been doing it devotedly since their 2015 debut Hurt, building one of the more remarkable catalogs in indie music through sheer consistency of vision and a DIY approach that has never wavered. Eleven albums in, 280 million streams deep, and they're still finding new rooms to explore.
Today they return with "Wish," the second single from their forthcoming album Paper Halo, due September 16th. Following the album-opening meditation of "Big Room," "Wish" continues to trace the emotional territory that defines Paper Halo: memory, transformation, and the spaces we return to in search of ourselves. For a duo who describe the perfect listening environment as headphones on, looking out the window at dusk, it's exactly the kind of track that earns that instruction. We sat down with Wyatt Ininns and Victor Pakpour to talk about the new record, what eleven albums actually feels like, and why making music together has always been the closest thing to relief they know.
LUNA: The first single from the new album, "Big Room", is described as a meditation on longing, repetition, and the search for something just out of reach. Where did that feeling come from going into Paper Halo?
ININNS: I think "Big Room" is also about finding relief or some kind of refuge. Most of the time the lyrics and melody just sort of spill out, and then I spend time figuring out what they're actually trying to say. It was the first song we wrote for Paper Halo, and looking back, I think it set the tone for the whole record. Making music has always been really healing for us. We feel incredibly lucky to get to do it and to have people who connect with what we make, but it's easy to lose sight of that with all the noise and distractions of everyday life. Every time we come back to start a new record, there's this moment where something clicks, and it's a huge sense of relief. I think "Big Room" captures that feeling.
LUNA: This is your eleventh album, which is a remarkable milestone for a DIY project. How do you even begin to approach a record at this stage? How has your creative process evolved?
PAKPOUR: It can definitely be daunting starting a record, and we really don't always know what direction it will go in. But through the years, I do feel like we try to start every album with some different sonic identity than the previous record. I think doing this makes the process fun and less scripted. The main thing is to just start writing and to be open to where the ideas take you. Through the years of making records, we've been more open and comfortable with not overthinking the production, and if a song feels right, we just leave it. It doesn't need to be perfect, we just want to capture an atmosphere.
LUNA: The album explores memory, transformation, and the spaces we return to in search of ourselves. How do you two navigate writing about that kind of internal experience together as a duo without it feeling too personal to share?
ININNS: We've known each other and been really close friends since we were thirteen, so there's a level of trust that's hard to replicate. We're both pretty sensitive people and comfortable being vulnerable, and I think that's the biggest part of it. I honestly don't know if there are many other people I could make music with without having my guard up a little. We trust each other's instincts and never really feel too judged outside of whether the song is working or not. I'm actually way more self-conscious playing new music for friends or family, but I know Victor — and a handful of other people — just get it. That makes it a lot easier to write honestly without worrying about how personal it is.
LUNA: Sonically, any key inspirations for this one?
PAKPOUR: Something felt fresh and fun using lots of classic drum machines on the new record. Feel like that tapped into some of our favorite nostalgic records.
LUNA: What does the title Paper Halo mean to you, and when did you know it was the right name for this record?
ININNS: We usually like to keep the meaning behind our titles to ourselves and let people assign their own interpretation. I think that works better with the kind of music we make. If you're too explicit, it can limit what someone brings to it. It's always fun hearing how people interpret our songs. Sometimes it's completely different from what I had in mind, but it usually says more about what they're going through than what we were. I think that's one of the things I love most about music — it becomes something personal to whoever is listening.
LUNA: Each single on Paper Halo comes with an official music video. How important is the visual world of this album to you, and how closely does it connect to the emotional themes of the music?
PAKPOUR: Whether it's a hi-fi video or a lo-fi one, having visuals is such a big part of any band's identity. We've always loved our lo-fi/simple videos, so we try to have fun with it.
ININNS: Picking an album cover is a huge part of the process too. We usually try a ton of different ideas before landing on one that just feels right. When it clicks, it almost feels like a doorway into the world we're trying to create with the record. The artwork ends up becoming part of the experience, not just something that sits on the front of the album.
LUNA: You have a West Coast tour, Mexico City dates, and a European run. What does it mean to bring this album into live spaces?
ININNS: Releasing music can feel pretty surreal and disconnected from the actual experience of making it. We put something out into the world, we see that people are listening and leaving kind comments, but sometimes it still feels a little abstract or unceremonious. Playing shows is where it really comes back to life. Being in a room with people, especially in places like Mexico City and Europe that feel so special, makes it sink in how amazing it is to connect with people through music. Those moments are a reminder that we're actually getting to live out something we've dreamed about for a long time.
LUNA: What's the perfect setting to listen to the album for the first time?
PAKPOUR: Dusk hour on a train ride with headphones on.
ININNS: Headphones on, looking out the window of a bus or plane, or just walking around observing the world. Preferably at sunset or late at night.
LUNA: What intentions do you have for the rest of this summer?
PAKPOUR: We are busy rolling out the new album and rehearsing a ton for the live shows. We are both super excited about everything going on and can't wait to share it.
