Guitarist, vocalist and producer Jason Herring didn’t think he would own a record label or lead a band when he was in college. Frontman of the Charlotte-based indie dream pop group, The Mystery Plan, attended college with plans of becoming an illustrator.

“Something happened in my first year of college,” Jason Herring said. “I decided I didn’t want to draw for a living. I wanted to tour with a band. I dropped out of college then and decided to do that.”

The Mystery Plan, formed in 2010, consists of Jason Herring on guitar, keys and vocals; his wife, Amy Herring, on vocals; Jeff Chester on drums and percussion; Otis Hughes on bass; and Patty McLaughin on the flute. 

“I started writing and then a couple years later, we decided to solidify as a band and we settled on this lineup, I guess more about five years ago now,” Jason Herring said. “Maybe six years ago we had this lineup.” 

Amy Herring, a professional hairstylist, is the band’s very own Nico on vocals and the shaker. Unlike Jason, Amy Herring said she had no musical inclination before joining The Mystery Plan. 

“The Mystery Plan is the only band I’ve ever been in,” Amy Herring said. “Jason just kind of made me join. Like if I was singing in the car, he decided, ‘Oh you should sing’ and I was like ‘No, that’s crazy.’ I finally caved in and here we are. Now I love it; now I think it’s great.”

Jason Herring’s own Charlotte-based record label, 10mm Omega Recordings, produces The Mystery Plan’s music. 

“I also produce other groups,” Jason Herring said. “We specialize in the Carolinas, so whether it’s reggae, or abstract jazz, or trip punk, or indie rock, we use artists [and photographers] in the Carolinas.

The Mystery Plan takes advantage of local talent in all aspects of their production. Michelle Rackley, an artist from Winston-Salem, did the album art for both their single “One a Day” and their newest album “Haunted Organic Machines,” Jason Herring said. 

“She did this nice collage for that cover for the latest single and that album,” Jason Herring said. “Every album, every compilation, everything that we can use, is either different art or different photographs from Carolina talent. I try to go to different places and get different styles in there.”

Jason Herring said his biggest influences include The Velvet Underground, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Cocteau Twins and Galaxie 500. Although the majority of Herring’s influences produce mostly shoegaze and new wave, he said his own style is constantly shifting. 

“I would say we’re kind of a moody dream pop,” Jason Herring said. “We go from different styles from like dreamy disco-y like our latest single to some more darker pop, as a good way to describe it. Definitely moody. Our ‘What a Day’ EP came out a couple of weeks ago and it features a remix by Steve Howerton and Co-Flow from here in Charlotte. They’re really excellent house DJs and producers, and they did a fantastic remix.”

Jason Herring has a studio in his house so he can record anytime inspiration strikes him. He said he goes into the studio to work anytime he has an emotion he wants to convey. 

“I’ll try to find sounds or chord progressions that convey that feeling,” Jason Herring said. “And then I’ll either write the lyrics, or I’ll get Amy to come in and write some lyrics to it, and then we’ll present it to the band. And then the band will kind of come together. And we’ll all kind of write our parts again together. And it changes a little bit as it goes along.”

Amy Herring said she writes the lyrics to the songs in addition to vocals. Like her husband, she said she also draws elements from shoegaze, such as the Couteau Twins, but prefers the lighter, more heartfelt components. 

“Typically, I will take what emotions the music evokes,” Amy Herring said. “[Jason] will send me what music he has put together and I’ll play it in the car while I’m driving around and I’ll listen to it over and over until… something comes in. Sometimes if I feel like the music evokes turning into a love song, then that’s what happens or if it evokes other emotions, that’s what happens.”

The Mystery Plan released their seventh studio album March 31, featuring the singles “What a Day” and “Big Bliss” from the “What a Day” EP. Although Jason Herring produces most of the band’s music himself, on past albums they have collaborated with producers who have worked on music of similar styles to achieve their distinct dreamy sound. 

“Rob Tavaglione and myself produced the whole thing, but the last couple albums we’ve had John Fryer from the 4AD record label, he’s in This Mortal Coil,” Jason Herring said. “He produced Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode and Cocteau Twins, and he produced a lot of the material on our last three albums.”

Jason Herring said The Mystery Plan also had special guests, such as Neil Conti from Prefab Sprout and Ian Masters from Pale Saints, come in to produce, write and do mixes. 

“I love working with other people, because I love hearing other people’s ears on our stuff,” Jason Herring said. “And it brings more out of me whenever I have someone else going ‘That works, that doesn’t work, let’s do this.’ I like it better.”

The Mystery Plan can be found on Spotify and Apple Music their new album “Haunted Organic Machines” can be found on Youtube. Other music produced by 10mm Recording can be found here.