[INTERVIEW] Spag Heddy Enlightens Music Fans On His Debut Album, 'The Noodle Effect', His Massive Ongoing Tour, + More

Dubstep fans have been eagerly waiting for renowned artist Spag Heddy's debut album, The Noodle Effect. Earlier this month, the mind-bending 17-track compilation (with 14 brand-new singles) finally arrived, and it has far surpassed listeners' expectations. Throughout the LP, Spag Heddy showcases his evolution as a producer and artistic visionary.

This album encompasses a wide variety of alluring collaborations and experimental sound design. There is a little bit of everything: from vocal-driven melodic anthems to bass-heavy bangers, Spag Heddy takes his audience on an ethereal sonic adventure. Amidst this thrilling project, we were lucky enough to talk with Spag Heddy on The Noodle Effect, his album-inspired tour, and other intriguing aspects of his musical identity.

Check out iEDM’s exclusive interview with Spag Heddy below.

iEDM: What sparked the idea to bring The Noodle Effect into existence? Being this far into your career, why do you think you are just now releasing your debut album?

Spag Heddy: I got the idea for the album about 5 years ago. It was the time my wife and I planned to start a family and it put things into a new perspective for me. I was also at a point in my career where things were quite stable, and I had the time and opportunity to do something else than just fast-paced dropping EPs and singles. The shelf time of releases is short (and getting shorter) so I felt the desire to make something that lasts longer.

iEDM: If you had to pick a few, which tracks on The Noodle Effect do you expect to be a fan-favorite on your tour and why? How do these songs encompass your musical identity?

Spag Heddy: At live shows, I think tracks like “Hammer Time”, “The Riddim The Rebel”, and “Big Noodle Energy” will do well. Those are some of the most energetic and hard-hitting dubstep tracks on the album. Those last two represent me especially well with the arrangement style and lead-synths that I’m known for. “Hammer Time” is a collab with Kompany and has been requested a lot since we premiered it at Lost Lands 2019.

iEDM: Which track on The Noodle Effect pushed you the most out of your comfort zone as a producer? What are the main obstacles that you faced when creating it and how did you overcome them?

Spag Heddy: Crazy enough, probably “Feel Good”. The bpm is 160 which, in my opinion, is a rather odd speed when used as 4-to-the-floor because it’s difficult to dance, jump, and headbang to. It’s in between drum & bass and dubstep, which is a grey area, in my repertoire at least. I could easily have brought the speed down to a house track and made it a big room house banger, especially since the track is based on that one melodic riff and doesn’t really have a bassline, but I wanted to try something else that I’m not used to.

iEDM: What are some of your go-to plugins and effects when producing? How have these played a significant role in The Noodle Effect?

Spag Heddy: My go-to synths are Serum, Nexus, and Harmor. Effects are Vocodex, OTT, and Permut8. Many of my ‘signature’ basses are made in Harmor which is an FL Studio plugin. For reverb, instead of using conventional reverb plugins, I actually use Vocodex. Permut8 is a really nifty multi-effect plugin that can do all kinds of crazy things with whatever you put in.

I love effect plugins that work with extreme parameters and delay/filter combinations. Many filler basses and SFX on the album are processed with Permut8. I think it’s me using some of these lesser-known plugins and/or techniques that keeps ‘my sound’ somewhat distinctive.

iEDM: How do the different genres represented in The Noodle Effect align to embody the overall vibe of the album? How does this compilation showcase the direction that your project is heading in?

Spag Heddy: I’ve tried bringing back some of the ‘old school Spag Heddy’ sounds in different genres on this album. In the last years, my productions got quite a bit darker and heavier, losing some of the melodic aspects that I used to be known for. I miss this and going forward want to combine old and new sounds into more sophisticated releases.

iEDM: The video component and cover art of The Noodle Effect are mesmerizing. What inspired the thematic design of the artwork and how does it reflect the many soundscapes throughout the LP?

Spag Heddy: The Noodle Effect, a.k.a. “spaghettification”, means being stretched into spaghetti-like strands towards a black hole, into a singularity, which practically means you’re becoming timeless. Instead of straight-up visualizing that, it inspired me to make a connection between humans and, as you can see on the art, a spaghettified person-entity hybrid, so kind of meaning that by listening to the album you cross dimensions and become timeless.

I think most tracks, but especially ones like “Shooting Stars”, “Never Thought”, “Choices”, and “Imagination”, have something spacious and grand about them that feels like they tell that art story.

iEDM: You have mentioned that part of the symbolism behind the title of The Noodle Effect is “traveling into a singularity, which essentially is to become timeless.” Can you break down this explanation further and what it means to you to become timeless?

Spag Heddy: Being timeless means you make an impact in such a way that you are forever remembered. I think I was on a path of just making music that was momentary, more of a current hype phase, rather than making something that I truly meant something with, something that had more feeling to it. Maybe it’s just that, you can often tell when something is made with more feeling and passion. All songs on my album are productions I’m happy with and proud of, and that even now can give me goosebumps when listening to them.

iEDM: There are seven mind-bending collaborations across The Noodle Effect. What were your favorite parts about getting to work with these unique artists? Which artist or artists would you love to collaborate with in the future?

Spag Heddy: I especially had the desire to work more with vocalists, and all the singers on my album are so good in their own unique ways. I’m not a great collaborator, I work best on my own, so it was sort of a challenge for me to work with people I don’t know. Vocals are regularly what makes a track memorable and stick with people, so that’s the direction I wanted to go with the album and forward on.

Ultimately, I’d love to work with Halsey, she has an incredibly strong voice. Other iconic voices I’d dream of working with are Tom and Mark of Blink 182. 

iEDM: There is a cast of innovative and talented artists joining you on The Noodle Effect tour. What factors go into selecting a group of artists that are going to enhance the audience’s experience while matching up organically with your artistic persona and live performances?

Spag Heddy: I generally only work and perform with artists that I know and/or admire. Honestly, that is pretty much the only factor that matters for selection. Soltan is one of the most unique and talented artists in the dubstep scene of whom I’ve been a fan since the very beginning, so naturally, I’m very stoked to have him as main direct support on tour.

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iEDM: The Noodle Effect tour is already in full throttle! What upcoming shows or general aspects of the tour are you most looking forward to?

Spag Heddy: I look forward to every show, from small to big. Honestly, often the smaller ones even more because that intimate vibe works so well with music that is a niche market like dubstep. The two biggest shows we’ll play are Exchange (LA) and Ogden (Denver) so those are definitely going to be highlights.

The biggest aspect of the tour is just to connect with the fanbase everywhere again though. I have not played as many shows in the last years as I did in earlier tours, so I’m super blessed to still get booked in so many places and have a dedicated fanbase.

Check out Spag Heddy's upcoming tour dates and locations HERE!

iEDM: Are there any surprises for your tour or upcoming projects you can hint at for your fan base, the Meatball Mafia, to get excited about?

Spag Heddy: My hands are tied, but all I’ll say is that the OG fans will have something special to look forward to.

Photos courtesy of Spag Heddy

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