Listening to Ruby Haunt is like watching a Terrence Malick movie. It makes you want to look up in mere curiousity to see if the leaves have started falling yet. It's the embodiment of the mundane beauty of everyday life: the shared warmth within clasped palms, catching a sweet trace of perfume from a beautiful girl passing by, blowing out birthday candles, drawing words on the back of someone for them to guess, licking around the ice cream cone to avoid stains.
Every instrument and lyric articulates an emotional landscape that transcends the confines of each individual song, giving rise to a collective experience. The music doesn't adhere to a conventional narrative structure with a clear beginning, climax, and resolution; instead, it unfolds as a freewheeling story, seamlessly fused together through fragments of memories and nostalgia.
The LA-based duo has perfected the art of "showing" rather than "telling." Their minimalistic approach to music allows them to summon soundscapes that linger long after the song is finished. Their songs aren't in a hurry to reach a destination but are crafted to emulate emotions. The visuals that accompany their music being the biggest indicator of that, they match dream-state imageries with their distinctive hazy and trance-like synths and guitars.
The Ruby Haunt project maintains an enigmatic aura, letting the music speak for itself while following a storyline in both lyrics and sound. How do you navigate conveying a profound message with minimal explicit expression?
It’s really about being present when writing and being open to what moves us emotionally at that time. Not putting too much weight on what we are releasing, but more so as an ongoing art project mentality.
Your music is emotionally charged and vivid, painting a distinct picture. Could you elaborate on your creative process for translating deep emotions into your song?
Just like from the beginning of starting Ruby Haunt, we’ve really just made music for ourselves and found it evoked inner feelings that were comforting / calming. Sharing demos back and forth is still our favorite part of the process and it’s even more special now that it connects with other people too.
With a longstanding partnership in music, could you shed light on how your collaborative process works? Is there a clear division of responsibilities or do you both contribute to every aspect of the music-making?
We both contribute to every aspect of the music-making process, and our process changes as well. Sometimes we write in the studio together, and sometimes separate from the comfort of our homes.
The track 'Rainbird' in 'Between Heavens' showcased a surprising, upbeat energy different from your usual atmospheric style. What inspired the exploration of this new sound, and how did it fit into the broader Ruby Haunt narrative?
We’ve always been open to new sounds and different ways of expressing what we’re feeling through the Ruby Haunt lens. For us, it adds some barrier of unknown and mystery which keeps the creative process fun.
In your latest album, 'Between Heavens,' which song do you believe best encapsulates the essence and thematic core of the entire album?
The opening track of the album ‘Between Heavens’.
Your DIY approach places you somewhat outside the industry and the business of it all, allowing flexibility in your creative pace. What motivated the decision to pursue this independent path rather than signing with a label?
We’ve definitely gotten a lot more label interest as we started growing, but just never felt like there was a genuine fit for us to go in that direction. We keep learning through the process of being DIY, and to be honest it comes with a lot of benefits. We just enjoy taking on the responsibilities and plan to take things one step at a time.
Could you share the most rewarding aspect and the most challenging aspect of maintaining an independent stance in your music career?
By far the most rewarding aspect has been hearing how moved and connected people are to the music. The most challenging part has been navigating other work/life while putting everything we can into Ruby Haunt, with the belief that our music would grow to this stage.
Reflecting on your career, can you pinpoint a moment that made you think, 'Oh shit I think we made it" What was the highlight that crystallized your success for you?-
More than a ‘we’ve made it’ mentality, we are just super grateful to be in the position we are now and it’s given us more confidence in our music making ability. We still are hustling and very appreciative of the small wins along the way.