Introducing: Motel Sundown

"I’m standing on the bridge… I’m the only person in miles."So begins Echoes — the haunting new single from Motel Sundown, featuring Joe Harvey-Whyte on pedal steel. Out July 18, the track conjures a surreal, cinematic space somewhere between Venus and a forgotten B-side from a '50s sci-fi soundtrack. Written like a dream journal, produced like a memory you’re not sure is real, Echoes captures the eerie stillness of returning to somewhere — or someone — you thought you’d left behind.

In this interview, we dive into the making of Echoes, the landscapes behind the lyrics, and why the journey back is often stranger than the leaving.

“Echoes” feels rich with atmosphere and emotional weight—what was the initial spark that set this track in motion?

Bobby: I was playing around in an open tuning and they can have this drone like atmosphere so it came from those kinds of chords. That sort of pregnant atmosphere inspired the song, which is really about how transient things are, even memories.

Joe Harvey-Whyte’s pedal steel adds such a distinctive texture. How did that collaboration come about, and what did it bring to the track?

A while ago we had played with his band The Hanging Stars and Joe’s playing is really fantastic so we knew we wanted to work with him as soon as we saw him. We were just waiting for the right track for it to really have a place to shine and serve the character of the song.

The title “Echoes” suggests memory, reflection, or distance—what does it mean to you in the context of this release?

It’s really about memory, how you can hold on to anything, how it can feel like we’ve been standing in the same place before. But it’s also communication and it’s limitations, everything you put into words is an imprecise echo of any feelings you have.

There’s a haunting spaciousness in the sound. Were there particular sonic references or moods you were chasing during production?

A blend of David Crosby’s ‘Laughing’ and some of the material of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Hejira’.

How does “Echoes” fit into the wider world of your current music? Is it a standalone moment, or part of a larger narrative you're building?

It’s the first song of an EP that we are currently releasing, but I think it’s a nice continuation of some of the style.