Premiere: Matt Ryder Explores Tragedy And Lost Innocence On Pained “Soundle

There are certain parts of growing up that no one really prepares you for. One of those grim realities is the realisation — which can come much earlier than expected — that neither your nor your friends are invincible. Despite still being in his late teens, Birmingham singer-songwriter Matt Ryder seems to understand this better than most and it’s something he’s painstakingly poured into his new single “Soundless Motion”. Laid out via painfully delicate vocals and restrained electronics, Ryder takes a long hard look at the world around him, lamenting how easy it can be to fall into a downward spiral.

“A lot of my friends were beginning to feel the full effect of drugs creeping into their life and they could no longer cope without it,” he says, adding that his friends were also beginning to struggle with eating disorders and mental health issues. “Everyone was turning away from innocence and childhood freedom to surrender to mature and toxic thoughts. I felt myself falling into these traps too and found myself feeling alone. One of the only things that saved me at that time was music.” ​