Q&A: Spooky Marvin Creates an Electropunk World in New EP ‘PSYCHOSLEAZE’
WRITTEN BY FAITH LUEVANOS
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Glitz and glam collide with electropunk in the latest EP from LA-based artist Spooky Marvin, PSYCHOSLEAZE. The four-track EP introduces listeners to the sonic world that Spooky Marvin has been carefully building. Each song carries a distinct sense of nostalgia, channeling the dark romanticism of bands like She Wants Revenge while evoking the sultry atmosphere of a True Blood episode.
Beneath the EP’s surface is the rawness of an artist who has embraced their DIY roots from the very beginning. Since emerging into LA’s underground music scene in 2023, Spooky Marvin has carved out a space entirely of their own, using independence as a driving force behind their music. Rather than conforming to a predetermined sound or aesthetic, Spooky leans into experimentation, allowing each release to become an extension of their evolving identity.
With PSYCHOSLEAZE, that freedom is on full display. The EP blurs the lines between punk attitude and a sort of theatrical glamour. There’s a sense of controlled chaos throughout the project that completely enthralls the listener to the point where they can’t look away.
Life on Jupiter sat down with Spooky Marvin to discuss the making of PSYCHOSLEAZE. Read the full interview below.
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LIFE ON JUPITER: For our readers who may not be familiar with your music, how would you describe it?
SPOOKY MARVIN: Dance music.
When did you get your start in music? What was the driving force that brought you to begin creating music?
SM: Since I was a kid, it just felt like something that was non-negotiable. I think everybody wants to be a rockstar when they’re a kid, but I just never grew out of that, I guess. I think it’s the fault of School Of Rock.
Psychosleaze is campy, it's electronic, and its visual identity is inspired by visionaries like John Waters and David Lynch. What are some of your favorite aspects of their artistry that you focused on with this project?
SM: They’re kind of similar in a way. Both are fiercely original and transgressive, respectively. I typically get more inspiration from movies rather than music, so I feel like it’s only natural for me to look to them as guiding lights. Besides, who doesn’t love Hairspray?
Is there a specific idea or feeling you hope listeners take away from the EP?
SM: I just want people to feel uninhibited in whatever way that looks for them.
"YOU MAKE ME WANNA DIE" was the first single that introduced the world of the EP. In what ways did this song feel like the perfect first step?
SM: I think it’s a pretty different song from what I usually make, but it is a good feel of the new direction I am headed sonically. Plus it’s really fun.
Did you experience a moment while making this EP that just felt like everything clicked?
SM: I didn’t really know what to do with these songs at first; I just knew I liked them all a lot. Deciding to put them out as an EP was kind of the moment that made everything make sense.
You wrote, produced, and mixed these songs on your own. What's your ideal setting to create and work on music?
SM: In my room, completely alone for like a week, with zero expectations or responsibilities.
Your artistic vision is so well executed, and your music feels like an artist who knows exactly what they want and how they're going to get it. Do you also feel this way? Or is this just the first step into a larger Spooky Marvin sonic universe?
SM: I sometimes feel that way. I sometimes feel like I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing too. But yes, this is definitely just the first step into a larger universe.
Any final messages you'd like to share with your fans/our readers?
SM: Be yourself!