Interview with Ryan Hilsinger (Sleepy Rye)

By Sonia Schnee | Posted Tuesday, March 1, 2022

South Jersey drummer, songwriter, and studio owner Ryan Hilsinger, also known as Sleepy Rye, last month released the first single off of his upcoming debut EP. Blending together multiple influences, his EP A Bit of a Non-Person has a little something for everyone. In addition to getting ready to release his own music, Ryan is also working on a musical compilation via his studio AGL Sounds in Cherry Hill, NJ to benefit multiple charities (reach out to him to get involved). Be sure to check out his EP which drops tomorrow, March 2nd, and to learn more about Ryan and the ways you can collaborate with him, check out our interview below.

(Video and transcript have been edited for time and clarity.)

Thank you so much for taking some time out of your busy day to chat with me.

RYAN HILSINGER: Of course. Thanks for having me, I appreciate it.

First off, what's your name, where are you from, and what do you do?

My name's Ryan, or Sleepy Rye. I'm currently in Cherry Hill, NJ. I run AGL Sounds with Doug Gallo. I've been running this studio for almost five years now. I started recording people years and years before that and just recently decided to start working on my own stuff.

Congratulations on the release of your single "Nameless" which dropped on February 9th. What can you tell us about the inspiration behind that?

So, "Nameless" actually happened after a psychedelic trip, and I woke up the next morning really having no sense of myself at all. It felt like I was re-learning who I was and what I wanted, and I had to challenge everything that I thought I knew.

I actually started writing the lyrics for “Nameless” while I was going through that. So it starts off with "He rises covered in ashes and poison still in his veins." I was writing that covered in ashes. 

That's wild. Is that the first track off of your upcoming EP that you wrote?

I think it is the oldest, yeah. All four of these songs were written at different times, but "Nameless" is the oldest.

Cover art for Sleepy Rye’s upcoming EP, A Bit of a Non-Person.

Very cool. Let's talk about your upcoming EP, A Bit of a Non-Person, which is coming out on March 2nd. Very exciting. What can you tell us about that?

So I actually just officially announced the EP, and I said, "If you liked 'Nameless', listen to the EP.  If you didn't like 'Nameless', pre-save it anyways, so you can talk smack about it. It's not really the same as 'Nameless', but it's got the same kind of vibe. So if you liked 'Nameless', come along. If you didn't like 'Nameless', still come along because it's different enough where you might actually enjoy something.    

What would you describe as the genres you touched upon or the vibe or mood you were going for?

So, the first track off the EP is kind of this jaunty rock vibe. The second track is 'Nameless.' The third track is only bass guitar and vocals, and it's really choral and ethereal. Then the last song is kind of post-rock. It's a love song without the love song vibes. These songs were written so far apart, I was being influenced by something different each time.

Are you performing all the instruments? Did you bring in session musicians?

I did everything on the EP except for master it. It was mastered by Alberto de Icaza. I gotta plug him real quick because he's amazing at what he does. But yeah, everything else – the performance, the writing, the production, the recording, the mixing -- that was all me.

Wow. Is this your first-time kind of doing something like that? I mean, having a studio you had your hands in a bunch of different aspects of that. So what was that like doing that for yourself?

So actually, I released music for the first time under just my name, Ryan Hilsinger, back in 2009 I think. At the time, I was just recording in my parents' basement. I was in high school so I was still living with family. I recorded everything by myself then, but it was just acoustic guitar and vocals. This time around, it was a lot more in-depth. It was maybe more than I was ready to take on when I decided to take it on, but it just happened all of a sudden, and the timing felt right so I did it. 

Who would you describe as your musical influences?

Well, for sure, Incubus. Incubus has been since I was about nine years old when my older brother showed them to me and gave me a CD of theirs. On this album, there's some Minus the Bear in there. There's a little bit of Bayside. I personally love Snarky Puppy and a lot of "neo-soul" is what they're calling it these days, like Lianne La Havas, Tom Misch, and Esperanza Spalding. That's what I've been listening to a lot.

Your music, is a lot of it inspired by things that have happened to you personally? 

The four songs on the EP are all about things that I've experienced, but I have I don’t know how many dozens and dozens or hundreds of songs that will live and die on my hard drive, that I will write about absolutely anything.  

I once went to visit a friend in Philly and I got my days mixed up and she had class the whole day. So I waited and waited and waited in a Starbucks and in different museums, and then when I finally ended up on a bench outside, I wrote a song about a cigarette butt that somebody flicked. So I'll write about whatever.

Do you ever write songs for other people do as a ghostwriter or a credited writer?

So I’m actually starting to do that with the benefit single series that I was talking about. I'm actually, next week, writing a song with Katie Miller, and I started doing collaborations with people in Philly. So I'm hoping to do more of that. I'm hoping to do more songwriting for other people.

And how do you know Katie Miller? You're a drummer, right? So, you've worked on one of her songs?

So actually, we met through the New Brunswick music scene. We just happened to cross paths. But we started working together a little more than two years ago, I think, was the first time that I played with her. I played a show at MilkBoy in Philly with Kate Dressed Up. That was my first show with them back in December, two years ago. Then we were supposed to go on tour and then COVID happened, and she was like, "I still want to work together. Let's keep on doing this music thing," and she asked me to be in the band.

Then after band practice one day, Kate was just like, "Ry, would you happen to be looking for a manager?" Meanwhile, me and my friend had just been talking about how good it would be to have a manager. I was, like "Funny, you should mention that." That's how that aspect of our relationships started. Now we're just super close and at this point she's just a great friend.

So she’s also your manager?

Yep.

Oh, that's so cool! I didn't know she did that. I had an interview with her a couple of weeks ago. She's so modest. She's very smart.

Yeah, she is. Oh my goodness, she is the best.

She knows a lot of things about a lot of things.

She really does, seriously! I am super lucky to have her.

I might have missed a little bit in the beginning (when we started recording our interview). Can you go back to the compilation that you're doing?

Oh, the benefit series?

Yeah, yeah.

So, it's going to be called “Sleep Numbers.”

I bring a band in for a day or two, and we record a single together. I did my first one last month, and I'm just wrapping up work on that.  

Every band is going to choose a charity, they'll come in, we'll either write a song together or just record it if they already have a song written, release it, and all the proceeds go to whatever charity they chose.

That's really cool. Have you done this before? Is this a tradition?

So, I want to turn it into a tradition. My studio, AGL, back when we were located in New Brunswick, we used to do monthly shows where we would record all the shows and run everything through the studio and have a bunch of videographers there. We don't charge anything. It's just for the sake of putting it together,and then the added bonus of the charity on top.

Oh, that’s cool.

Hopefully it becomes a tradition. I’ve already got three in the works.

You’re on a roll. Keep on doing what you're doing!

Where can people reach out if they want to be a part of this iteration or the next iteration?

You can reach out to me on Instagram @sleepyrye.wav, or you can email me at contact@SleepyRye.com.

What does “AGL” stand for? Is there a story behind the name?

So, Doug (Gallo) and I are both massive fans of Incubus. We were thinking of names. Doug threw out the name of this Incubus song, "Just a Phase" Studios. He wanted an acronym for the name, so I suggested Incubus has a song called “Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song).” So I suggested "Anti-Gravity Love Sounds." That's why the logo is three heart balloons because it’s “anti-gravity.”

Oh my gosh, I see it!

Yeah. So it's Anti-Gravity Love Sounds.

That's really clever. I like that.

We had to find some way to pay homage to Incubus.

How did you meet your co-founder of AGL? Did you guys know each other from high school?

Yeah, actually, we went to high school together, but only for a little bit because he moved and transferred high schools. We went to high school together for two years. During those two years, I was working at a show production company/record label, and we worked with Doug's band at the time, so that's how I started talking to him. Then eventually I joined that band, and then we became another band. Then I moved out to L.A. for a little bit and when I came back, Doug was like, "Hey, are you interested in starting a studio?" I was like, "Yeah, absolutely!"  

I just gave myself a tattoo.

Oh, I see it! Yes! That'll be the thumbnail for the video.

Perfect!

That is really cool. Is there a place that you recommend? Or did you actually sit there and give it to yourself?

I sat there and stick and poked myself.  

True story?

Yeah, actually.

Oh my gosh! OK. You’re multitalented! "He can mix and record everything for you and be your session drummer, and while he's doing that, he can also give you a tattoo on the spot. Anything Incubus-inspired." 

Actually, my friend Abigail just started doing stick and pokes. She’s already an incredible artist, but they just started doing stick and pokes. I was their first person.  

Oh, that's cool. Is that a mushroom?

It's a nice little mushroom. It's a little honey fungus.

That’s awesome!

So, actually, if you're in the Philly area and you're thinking of getting a tattoo, look up The Shape of Sanctum.

Shout-out to Abigail!

Hell yeah!

So, you have a lot of things going on. Aside from being a co-owner of AGL Studios, you're also a session/touring drummer. Of course, you have Sleepy Rye. You've been involved or associated with numerous bands.

Tell us about your musical journey. Do you come from a musical family? 

So it seems like all of my family has some kind of musical talent that they refuse to recognize. My dad was in high school band and had a lot of potential as a drummer. My mom has a beautiful, angelic voice, as does my sister. My sister also played the flute and the violin. My brother played the bass guitar and the trumpet. But it seems that after high school, no one chased it. So I guess I'm the one who chased it after high school. But that was always going to happen because I was banging on pots and pans and playing on toy acoustic guitars since I was five, so it seemed like that was always going to happen.  

I love that. That's a really interesting combination — the drums and the vocals.

What would you say, looking back, have been some of your career highlights or moments that really stand out to you?

Honestly, one of my favorite things is meeting all of the different people that I meet, just everyone that comes through the studio or different bands that hire me for one-offs. Like I just recently, last year, got hired to play drums for a pop artist, Zoe on Venus, exactly a week before the show, with no practice or anything. We just showed up and played the gig and it went great and we had a ton of fun. Just like things like that. I love moments like that and just being able to meet everybody that I meet.

Actually, I would say another highlight has been not necessarily related to my personal journey, whether it's AGL or Sleepy Rye, but I worked for a little while on something called The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. It's a big tour bus, like that bands go on, and it was gutted and turned into a recording studio.

Oh wow.

Me and two other engineers, we just drove around the country -- well, we didn't drive the bus, there was a bus driver -- but the four of us went around the country teaching kids about music production and making music with the kids. That was the best job I ever had. That was great.

That’s wild! How long ago was that?

That was back in 2017, 2018-ish?

That is really cool.  It's nice to have been able to do that traveling before the pandemic and the world changed.

Yeah, seriously. That 2017, 2018 might be off. The pandemic has completely messed up my sense of time.

Same here. I always think every day is Wednesday. The days of the week don’t matter a whole lot anymore.

Right, seriously.

Is there anything in particular you're looking forward to in 2022, aside of course from releasing your debut EP?  

Well, actually, I have a lot of work that I did this past year that is slated to come out this year, and I'm really, really excited for people to hear it. One of the songs just recently came out. I recorded a 17-piece jazz big band called the Grace Fox Big Band. Amazing. The first song, "I Just Found Out About Love", just came out and it's amazing. I've got a bunch of different projects that I did coming out this year that I'm really excited for.

And, I turned 30.

Ayy! A milestone! How does it feel now being in your 30s?  

Well... we'll see. Haha! I'll give it some time.

To be determined…

Yeah.

It's so interesting how things have changed. A generation ago, it was like 30 was older, but now your 30s are a continuation of your 20s and everything's just gotten pushed back a decade in terms of milestones and things.

Yeah, I like the way my dad described it: Your 30s are the chance to do everything you wanted to do in your 20s, but with more knowledge and more money.

I love that!

That's the energy I'm taking into my 30s.

So, you already mentioned one person. Is there anyone who you'd like to give a shout-out to?

Well, obviously Katie. We talked about her. Shout-out Katie Miller! She's amazing. She's absolutely incredible.

I want to shout-out, actually, my parents. My parents really help keep me grounded long enough to do something like record and mix songs by myself. Thank you, Mom and Dad. I love you both.   

Good son.

Haha! Eh… I'm a sweet son. I don't know about a good son.

There is a distinction!

Do you have any music videos planned?

No. Music videos, to do well, you either need a grand mind or a lot of money, and I don't know if I have either, but I do actually have a canvas video that is paired up with the fourth track on my EP, "Never”, done by KXB Studio. They took my idea and they brought it to life exactly the way I wanted, so that'll be fun. That'll keep you occupied on that four-and-a-half-minute song.

Where can people find you online if they want to listen to your music, if they want to send you a  message? What's the best way to find you, or all the ways to find you?  

So Bandcamp is obviously the quickest and best way to see everything that I've got, and you can contact me through there. That goes straight to my email.

You can stream me on Tidal and Apple Music and Spotify and Deezer. I'm everywhere.

And Instagram, is that your preferred social media?

Yeah. On Instagram, I'm @sleepyrye.wav. @SleepyRye on Twitter. @SleepyRye on Facebook. Sleepy Rye pretty much everywhere.

Nice.  This has been awesome. Thank you again so much.

Of course, of course. Thank you. I really appreciate it. This is my first interview. I had no idea what to expect, but I really, really enjoyed myself. Thank you.