Heather Woods Broderick discusses the influences behind new LP 'Labyrinth'

Heather Woods Broderick‘s new album Labyrinth is out today via Western Vinyl. She started working on it in March of 2020, as the world shut down due to the pandemic, putting her touring plans abruptly on hold. The resulting album, which she co-produced with D. James Goodwin, is atmospheric, multi-layered indie rock; stream it below.

In celebration of the release of Labyrinth, we asked Heather to tell us about what inspired the album, and she made us a list of musicians, colors, activities, and more. Read that, complete with her commentary, below.

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HEATHER WOODS BRODERICK’s LABYRINTH INFLUENCES:

Cyndi Lauper

She’s So Unusual came out the year I was born. It was an outlier in my parents record collection, which was mostly folk/singer-songwriters of their time. I loved to put this record as a really small child when my babysitter would come over. We’d dance and have so much fun listening to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” There’s an intentional nod to that song in “Wherever I Go.”

Peter Gabriel

D. James Goodwin and I recorded a lot of acoustic percussion for the record to use along with the electric beats that were programmed. We pulled our inspiration for some of the these organic sounds from artists like Peter Gabriel, referencing songs such as “No Self Control” or “Intruder” for the more upbeat dynamic songs. There are also echos of his more mellow songs like “In Your Eyes” that show up on the quieter songs on the record. We were able to record the percussion in an old, mostly vacant IBM building in upstate New York, where the hallways had amazing natural reverb. We used the staircases to re-amp other things as well.

Gigi Masin

I could listen to Gigi Masin for the rest of my life on repeat. Talk to the Sea was the first record of his that I heard, and I’ve spent countless hours letting those beautiful, repetitive beats and melodies wash over me as I carry on throughout my day. No doubt a big inspiration in my desire to make some simple beats. Big fan of all those soft synths he uses too.

Pink and green

There’s so much color in California. The vivid fuchsia of Bougainville is my favorite, and the juxtaposition of that color against the many different greens of succulents really made an impact on me. These colors came up for me many times while writing lyrics for the record.

Cumbia and Tresillo rhythms

I visit my good friend in Mexico City as often as I can. You can’t help but notice these rhythms coming from all directions when you walk around there. It comes out of restaurants, markets, cars. I love how these rhythms sort of become the soundtrack to the city and almost set a pace to shimmy through the streets. These kinds of rhythms got me thinking about beats and rhythm in the early stages of writing for Labyrinth.

Running

I never thought I could be good at running, but it turns out it’s like most things. If you practice it you get better at it. I put a lot of effort into getting better at this over the last few years, and to my surprise I became someone that really enjoys it! It’s a good way to clear the ‘ole head and get creativity flowing.

Dreams

I had a stretch of time in 2020 where my dreams were so detailed and elaborate. Sometimes I’d wake up and translate these dreams into lyrics, and other times I’d wake up with a definitive melody that I’d hum into a voice memo so that I could use it to start a new sketch of a song (after coffee). They felt like things I should pay attention to.

’90s Hip Hop

Mid tempo chill beats with little synth hooks that get me every time, and lots of repetition. I love how even though a lot of the hits from this era are lyrically really serious/heavy, the music still makes you want to dance.

Live Music

I spent over a decade touring heavily with different projects, and really didn’t get to see many shows, outside of the ones we were playing. Since being off the road, I’ve seen so many concerts of all different sizes and genres. It’s so cool to see musicians perform music live! I started making sure I have a little notebook and a pen with me at shows so I can write down creative ideas or lyrics that might come to me while watching a show. Some memorable ones from recent times: Thom Yorke, Kendrick Lamar, Grouper, Colin Stetson, Mabe Fratti, Kali Malone, Aldous Harding, Nick Cave, Big Thief, Bjork… the list goes on.

Chet Baker Sings and Nina Simone and Piano

Very often the only two records I feel like singing along with.