Bloodyarvo shares the origins of the bands formations and the catalyst for debut single Feel My Heart Sleeps.
Sydney-based indie rockers Bloodyarvo are a band that will quickly capture your heart, with their music propelling you into a world of fuzzy guitars and entrancing lyricism. With only their debut single Feel My Heart Sleeps released into the world September this year, they have quickly garnered anyone who has listened to them their hearts.
Feel My Heart Sleeps started off as a shower thought from frontman Ariq, which quickly transformed into a fully-fledged track by the time the evening rolled around. A simple moment like this was the catalyst for Bloodyarvo being formed.
They have been busy carving out a space for themselves in the Sydney music scene, bridging the gap between riff rock and modern alternative indie. Bloodyarvo strives to immerse their listeners into a new world of escapism, which the band themselves find themselves gravitating towards in times of melancholy and isolation that was the coronavirus pandemic.
Join us as we chat to Bloodyarvo about the world of escapism, and starting a band during lockdown times.
HAPPY: Tell us about the writing process for Feel My Heart Sleeps, I love that it started out with a shower thought and quickly turned into a full-blown band piece within a few hours!
ARIQ: Feel My Heart Sleeps was written and recorded before the band was formed. So, what you hear in the recording was mostly me performing every single instrument.
I came up with the chorus melody when I was in the shower, I immediately went out of the shower into my bedroom and opened my laptop to record the song. I wrote the whole song spontaneously while I was recording it.
It was really spontaneous and raw, arranging this song for the band on the fly and I would also re-take the vocal if I wanted to change a certain lyric. Everything was finished within a night.
Despite it being me in the recording, we work as a team when we perform the song live.
HAPPY: Where did the metaphor for Feel My Heart Sleeps come from? And what made you decide to use it in the first place?
ARIQ: I was in the darkest place where I felt lonely and dissatisfied with my reality. Escaping through self-destructive behaviour was my way to cope.
In the shower I was in a very bad mood when I came up with the chorus, I thought, “I wish I could numb my heart, or put it to sleep just to be less sensitive to the pain” and I just started singing “Feel my sleeping heart, Feel My Heart Sleeps!” I thought that was such a catchy line for a song.
HAPPY: I love how your music is all about escapism! And it definitely translates over into your debut single. Who inspired these immersive escapism musical elements?
EROS: Tame Impala is one of our biggest musical influences along with other psych bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.
Lonerism was the one album that I escaped with a lot. It’s essentially what influenced us to adapt the concept of escapism through psychedelic music. The album sings the theme of feeling disconnected from the rest of the world while struggling with self-doubt and isolation.
With immersive psychedelic production and hypnotic instrumentation, the album is a perfect vehicle for escapism. I relate to every single song on the album! so much that it inspired us to write Feel My Heart Sleeps and some other Bloodyarvo songs.
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HAPPY: Lyrically the song explores vulnerable topics about isolation and self-destructive cycles, you guys as a band bonded over the shared struggles, has Bloodyarvo provided a cathartic experience?
ARIQ: Seeing back, we’re just a bunch of outsiders who shared the love of indie music. Most of us were socially awkward growing up and were struggling to try to fit into society. Music has always been our weapon and was probably the only thing we were good at. We met at a music university in Sydney and that’s how we bonded, over the passion for ‘escape music ‘. Nobody was playing the kind of music we played and we were unknown to the popular kids.
HAPPY: Outside of Bloodyarvo, what is your favourite type of escapism?
ARIQ: I loved doing thrilling stuff, car drifting and racing have always been my escape before music and I know Ben is also into cars. He’s got a convertible and we love cruising at night around the Sydney area while listening to Twin Peaks or a Minecraft soundtrack. It’s relaxing.
Also, we love a good party, getting drunk and tipsy, or just being silly.
HAPPY: What did you read last that opened your eyes and mind to a new perspective?
ARIQ: We do know about the big bang theory but what we don’t know is where did the universe come from? It either existed forever or was born a long time ago. It’s just hard to wrap my mind around it not existing or to think it has existed forever.
WHOA.
HAPPY: As a band that was established during the lockdown period, how are you finding the Sydney music scene now since the pandemic is considered over?
ARIQ: It’s such a relief to finally be able to pack a venue, or just get people to dance or do mosh pit to your song. we had been waiting for far too long!
We played Vanguard back in August where the restriction was significantly eased. The energy from the crowd was explosive! Everyone was jumping and singing along during our set and we were only the supporter for the night.
The Sydney live music scene feels livelier now, even more alive than how it was before the pandemic. I mean people have missed live music for so long and now almost every music venue in Newtown would sell out gigs at least twice a week.
It feels surreal seeing back to where we came from.
HAPPY: What’s something someone has said about your music that you hold close to you?
ARIQ: At one of our gigs, a person came up to us and told us that our songs are the definition of “the new rock music”, “your music’s nothing like I’ve ever heard before, so fresh, you guys are the future of indie rock music”. They came for another band but ever since that gig, they’ve been coming to every single one of our gigs.
We always go back to that quote every time we feel down or start doubting ourselves.
HAPPY: What’s next for Bloodyarvo? Are there any shows or new music coming up in the new year?
ARIQ: An EP?? Well, we can’t tell you yet but we do have a handful of songs waiting to be released. In the meantime, we’re continuing to write and record as a band as opposed to the first couple of Bloodyarvo songs where I write and record everything.
And we have some dates coming next year! follow Bloodyarvo Instagram for more info!
Stream Feel My Heart Sleep via Spotify below.
Interviewed by Laura Hughes.
Photos supplied.