Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Lonely Hours

Lonely Hours is a hauntingly enigmatic music project based in New York City. The story begins in the basement of a house, where a box of demos was discovered—intimate, lo-fi recordings whose origins remain unknown. The identity of the songwriter is still a mystery, adding a ghostly allure to the project’s nostalgic and emotionally raw sound.

Over time, Lonely Hours has released a series of albums that feel like sonic postcards from a forgotten soul:

• Lost Inside is a deeply introspective journey, capturing the feeling of being emotionally adrift.
• With No Sense in the Sea dives into dreamlike atmospheres, where meaning drifts like waves.
• Songs of Yesteryear evokes memories of lost time through melancholic melodies.
• New York CIty Balls takes a more experimental turn, blending distorted vocals with ambient textures.
• The Big Red Ocean explores themes of isolation and longing, wrapped in washed-out guitar tones and tape hiss.

Each release builds on the mystery and emotional depth of the project, creating a unique sonic universe that resonates with listeners who find beauty in the unresolved.

Now, Lonely Hours returns with a new chapter:

Where My Soul Goes, the upcoming album released on November 7, 2025.

What is your earliest memory connected to music?  

I remember sitting in my childhood bedroom, tuning into late-night radio stations, trying to catch obscure tracks that felt like secret messages. Music always felt like something hidden, something waiting to be found.

How did your passion for creating music begin?  

Funny enough, I never set out to create music. My passion began the moment I found that dusty box of tapes in the basement. Listening to those demos—raw, haunting, beautiful—I felt compelled to share them. It was like curating someone else’s soul.

What’s the story behind your current music project?  

The project is called Lonely Hours. It started when I stumbled upon a box of unlabeled demo tapes buried beneath old furniture. No name, no dates, just songs. I digitized them, cleaned up the audio, and started releasing them on Bandcamp. It’s a tribute to the unknown artist who poured their heart into these tracks.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

It’s lo-fi indie rock with a ghostly edge—like Elliott Smith meets early Sparklehorse, recorded on a rainy night in a forgotten corner of New York. Melancholic, poetic, and strangely timeless.

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?  

That imperfection is powerful. These demos aren’t polished, but they’re deeply human. I’ve learned that emotion trumps production every time.

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?  

A decent tape deck, a digital audio converter, and Audacity for cleanup. I also use a Tascam PortaStudio to preserve the analog warmth when re-recording missing fragments.

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?  

I’ve been obsessed with Daniel Johnston lately. His songs feel like they could’ve been in the box I found—intimate, fragile, and full of longing.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?  

Discovering these demos felt like uncovering a secret history. It made me reflect on forgotten voices, lost dreams, and the beauty of anonymity. That’s shaped everything I do with Lonely Hours.

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?  

I hope they feel nostalgia, curiosity, and a sense of connection to someone they’ll never meet. These songs are like letters from the past—open-ended and deeply personal.

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?  

That music doesn’t need a name to matter. It can live in silence for decades and still speak volumes when it’s finally heard.

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?  

I’d love to stage a listening installation at MoMA PS1—a quiet room where people can sit, reflect, and hear the demos on loop. It’s not about performance, it’s about presence.

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?  

I’d choose Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse. His ability to blend lo-fi textures with emotional depth mirrors the spirit of Lonely Hours.

Where can our listeners follow and support your music?  

You can find everything at https://lonelyhours.bandcamp.com and https://www.youtube.com/@alltheselonelyhours. That’s the heart of the project.

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?  

To find the original artist. If they’re out there, I want them to know their work is loved. And if not, I’ll keep releasing the demos, one tape at a time.

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?  

That I’m just a caretaker. The real story belongs to the person who recorded these songs. I’m here to make sure they’re not forgotten.

If you want here you can add a representative Youtube video to insert below the interview 🙂  

Here’s a video that captures the mood of “Where My Soul Goes”: