Midnight Dental

InterviewsIssue-02

Feb 9

Investigate further @midnightdental

Interview by Joey Diabolic

Throughout 2025, you released two albums, ‘Monster Ballads Vol.3’ and ‘Flowers’. What were the key differences in those respective creative processes? Completely different. 'Flowers' is the only album I've put out that has me playing some guitar - the rest is synth. I was heartbroken and recorded it in less than a week. 'Monster Ballads (Vol 1, 2, and 3)' are my 'chopped and screwed' albums. Just fun with sampling, glitching, messing with pitch and time. Certainly less listenable and totally fun to make. Does not require a sad heart to make.

Since ‘Monster Ballads’ has become a multi-year album series, should we expect a similar expansion with ‘Flowers’? I'm definitely down - if anyone has a cool lo-fi distortion pedal for me to borrow.

How did you get into the Noise/Glitch scene? What's your musical background? Hardly any musical background aside from occasionally DJing. I guess getting into the noise scene involves a few factors: going to all of these noise freak's shows locally, not being afraid to just record weird shit and put it out there, and having some pretty raw homemade synths, warped tape decks, and glitch pedals.

How did the name Midnight Dental come about? Do you own a practice with 12am hours? I used to keep a Twitter account with band name ideas and that was one of them. I was probably drinking. Actually, I know I was drinking. I was having a drink with my friend Brynn and I'm pretty sure it was their name idea. I guess I associate some of the harsh sounds and essences with dental sounds. One time when I was a kid, I had 10 teeth pulled out all at once, was on loads of nitrous, could hear a wrench yanking my teeth out mixed with the muffled and distorted 80's soft rock radio station in the background. Childhood memories.

What’s in your current live rig? It changes all the time - dependent on how I'm feeling or who I'm on the bill with. Generally I bring: Nova Bass Station, homemade drone synth, Granny Puker pedal, Red Panda "Tensor" pedal, the VSC soundpacer (tape player with pitch & speed adjusters), and sometimes a drum machine. Every once in a while a laptop. Usually a Sade cassette tape.

Describe your process when composing and tracking in the studio. Any specific gear exclusively used that never sees the live stage? Not anymore. I have used some tools in software to make some time stretches on certain samples, but I hate not being able to re-create anything live so I've veered away from using digital effects.

In addition to Midnight Dental’s output, you’ve remixed for others, such as Exitum. How did that collaboration develop? What do you search for in a song that ultimately inspires you to remix it? One day I saw they were looking for someone to do some remixes, so I reached out to Mike from Exitum. I wasn't sure if my style would be what they had in mind but figured I'd send them some extra evil nasty remixes.

'Misfit' (above) • 'Deep Sea' Artwork by Joanne Saucier a.k.a. Midnight Dental

It was cool to discover you also have a background in visual arts. Lush, colorful paintings and gritty, monochromatic collages. When did this aspect of your creative output blossom? Are you consciously establishing a dichotic balance with these works to achieve specific results or are these the result of natural expressive flows? I've been a visual artist my whole life, way longer than any music stuff. These are definitely natural expressive flows. My brain, ears and eyes are wired to enjoy controlled chaos. I hope one day when I'm like 70, I chill out and turn into some pastel watercolor painting ambient music making freak.

'Misfit' Artwork by Joanne Saucier a.k.a. Midnight Dental

Let’s discuss retro gear. What do you love most about your VSC Soundpacer “tape warbles” cassette deck? The entire purpose of its existence was for transcribing verbal instructional tapes - slowing down if you need to hear clearly, etc. I'm using it make songs sound better, or worse, than intended - depending on your perspective ;)

New music? Upcoming shows? What’s next? I am still hoping to get my large scale 8-10 person noise collective group together. I'm getting bored being on stage alone, I kinda want to make music with a whole group of weirdos.

What are your all-time top 3 favorite horror films? Gozu , Calvaire and Brain Damage