ATEX: I saw you doing a live stream post performance talk on Supplyframe Design Lab‘s Instagram. You said you started playing piano when you were a kid. How did that experience lead you to synths and eventually modular synthesis?
MAH: I think that playing the piano gave me the ability to think creatively with an instrument. I remember trying to change the sound of my digital upright piano as a kid (maybe 9 or 10). I would pitch up the sound to bend the notes or try to alter the sound in some way, what I didn’t know though was that I was playing the wrong instrument for that application, what I really needed was a synth.
When I was able to venture out and explore instruments, I was drawn to synths, because I could make them sound like anything. I knew how to play the keyboard, so I could approach a synth as a guitar, a bass, wind instrument, etc without having to learn or obtain those instruments. The step into modular synths wasn’t as smooth, and it was my husband who was interested in playing them more than me. When he first showed me a demo video on YouTube I thought they were convoluted and overpriced. But when I really got into it I found that I could further customize my sound in a way I couldn’t with a traditional synth.
ATEX: So now you have a few music projects, what are they and how how are they similar or different, instrumentation-wise and otherwise?
MAH: I have a few different projects going on at the moment, Operation Bingo, my solo project, Paul and Marie’s Country Kitchen, and a cassette release with Grant Bouvier @midi_lizard.
Operation Bingo is a project my husband, @paul_m_olive and I have been working on since 2018. We’ve released one album and 2 EPs under the Operation Bingo name. The music is very confrontational and in your face.
Paul and Marie’s Country Kitchen started off as an idea for another music project between my husband and I but we are currently working on making that a label instead.
The release with Midi_Lizard is an upcoming cassette release with a label named, Jolted Souls. The idea of the collaboration was to highlight abandoned places and their evolution from occupied to abandoned space. The release will be titled Kenopsia.
My solo project, Marie Ann Hedonia, focuses heavily on music made with modular synths. My album coming out August 6th is titled, The Inevitable Collapse, and has been composed with primarily modular synths.
ATEX: Cool. What are your goals with the label. Will it be mostly stuff that y’all make or other artists as well?
MAH: Right now it’s going to be a place where all of our various projects live. Then eventually branch out to other artists as well.
ATEX: Any release dates yet?
MAH: I’ll be releasing my first album in September, and we will be dropping other releases throughout the fall and winter.
ATEX: 5. Have you gotten back into playing live again yet? What are shows like for your different bands?
MAH: I had actually never played live before last night! Now I’m preparing to head down to DC to play in the first modular on the spot show in that city! I hope to play more live shows in the future by myself or with others in my various projects.
ATEX:6. Well, sounds like you have a lot of good stuff happening. It was great talking to you. Do you have anything else you’d like to add?
MAH: I’d just want to add that my first full album will be out August 27th! It contains 8 original songs, created with modular synths.
ATEX: Looking forward to it!
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