We catch up with Ideal Horizon to talk about their debut EP 185, the creative process, and what’s next for the rising band
Following the release of their debut EP 185, Salt Lake City-based band Ideal Horizon is making waves with their unique blend of alt-rock, pop-punk, and classic rock.
The quartet—Renee, Dom, Keith, and Bryson—reflects a melting pot of influences from Paramore to Third Eye Blind, a fusion that has shaped their bold sound.
We caught up with them to talk about the inspiration behind 185, their creative process, and their upcoming plans.
From the raw, emotional energy of tracks like “Girl I Used to Be” to their DIY music video for “Something From Me,” Ideal Horizon’s journey is just getting started.
As they gear up for a year of exciting shows and new music, it’s clear they’re on the rise. With a growing presence and a sound that speaks to anyone grappling with mental health and self-reflection, Ideal Horizon is a band you’ll want to keep on your radar in 2025.
HAPPY: What’s going on today?
IDEAL HORIZON: Right now we’re writing and preparing for 2025. We’re already booked through April which we’re stoked about!
The first show of the year at Kilby Court in Salt Lake City which has hosted other acts like Death Cab For Cutie, Backseat Lovers, and Young The Giant.
It’s our first time performing there so we’re really looking forward to it. As far as the writing, we’ve been taking a break from that for the past few months but just kicked that back into gear.
We’ve got some new music coming down the pipe with a brand new song that we are extremely excited about!
We’ll probably have that song released in the 2nd quarter of 2025 so make sure to follow us on social media so you know when it gets released!
HAPPY: Can you tell us a little about where you’re from and what you love about it?
IDEAL HORIZON: Well…we’re from all over the country so that’s a little hard haha. Renee is from Georgia, Dom is from Texas, Keith is from Virginia, and Bryson is from Utah.
We all kind of met here through music and social media and that’s what brought Ideal Horizon together.
As far as where the band is from though…we’re located in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The thing we love about it truly is the music scene.
The amount of talent here at any given moment is mind-boggling. There are some amazing venues as well. It’s been a great place to cut our teeth in music, but we can’t wait to play other places. Maybe Australia? ;)
HAPPY: How did the creative process for your new EP 185 come together? What was the recording and production like?
IDEAL HORIZON: Truthfully…it just kind of happened. That sounds cliche, but it’s true. We got together and just started writing and one by one, the songs came to life.
A lot of the credit has to go to Renee though. The lyrics she’s written for the tracks are amazing and the themes really do fit together in a way that delivers a message to the listener regardless of the order in which you listen to the songs.
The recording process was fun and smooth with some speedbumps and headaches sprinkled in haha. That’s how it always goes though, right?
The most memorable portion though was when we recorded ‘something from me’, ‘WORDS’, and ‘dream, attempt, pretend…die’. We recorded those 3 songs in 2 days. It was a marathon and by the end we all were spent. It was so much fun though! Still can’t believe we pulled that off!
HAPPY: Your sound mixes a lot of different styles like alt-rock, pop-punk, and classic rock. How do you figure out which elements fit each song?
IDEAL HORIZON: Ok…this is going to sound so silly. We actually don’t haha. There’s no plan that goes into each song.
All four of us have different influences and musical backgrounds but we feel like each song takes from us what it needs. Again…that sounds kind of silly or maybe like a cop-out answer…but that’s how it goes.
We all try to be flexible and open to feedback from the other members and at the end, we have music that we love which also has elements from each of us.
HAPPY: What’s the story behind the name 185 and how does it connect with the themes on the EP?
IDEAL HORIZON: 85 is the unit number of the storage unit that we practice in. This EP was the beginning of Ideal Horizon…a milestone in our career and in the life of the band.
We chose 185 because that storage unit is where it all started. We wanted it to symbolize where it all began and all the things that led up to it.
All the hard work and headache that went into forming the band, finding the name, writing the music, and then recording and releasing it all.
This is our way of always remembering where we started. Even when we accomplish our goals of winning Grammies and bringing our music to our fans worldwide on tour…we never want to forget where it all started.
HAPPY: “Girl I Used To Be” has such a powerful vibe. What inspired the lyrics, and how do you mix storytelling with music?
RENEE: I had finally moved on from a long mental battle I was dealing with. When I was writing this I felt myself let go and not look at it as my present self, but as a reflection of me from the past.
I struggled to accept the reality that I played a part in my own demise. The verses and chorus are me reflecting and healing but then the bridge explodes into the denial I initially felt during my healing process.
I hope the emotional roller coaster, that is the grieving process, comes through to listeners. The storytelling aspect comes somewhat naturally because I write about my own experiences and emotions.
Every song you hear on this album is directly from my life. I think the overall themes of mental health, self-reflection, and growth can resonate with everyone in their own unique life experiences.
HAPPY: You’ve mentioned influences like Paramore and classic rock. Are there other artists or bands that have shaped your sound?
IDEAL HORIZON: Artists like Third Eye Blind, Taking Back Sunday, Foo Fighters, Bad Omens, and Fleshwater have shaped us individually which has in turn shaped our sound as a band.
HAPPY: The music video for Something From Me is coming soon! Any teasers about what fans can expect?
IDEAL HORIZON: Big news…the video is out on our YouTube! We’ve teased it a bit on our social media pages (go follow us!) but it’s out now!
This was a lot of fun to make. We had actually tried making a music video in January. We paid a ton of money for it and it turned out horrible. This time, we did it all ourselves and it is exactly like we wanted.
HAPPY: Each of you brings something different to the table musically. How do those individual influences come together in the band’s sound?
IDEAL HORIZON: The foundation of it is flexibility. We all have an idea of how we want things to sound, but that’s not always the way it turns out.
The good news is, we all end up loving the finished product. Something that was important to us all when we started the band was having members who were open to feedback and that’s what we found!
HAPPY: What direction do you see Ideal Horizon heading in next? Any new sounds or ideas you’re excited to explore?
IDEAL HORIZON: We feel like we’re starting to find our rhythm with writing and our sound. Right now, we’re focusing on increasing our footprint to bring our music to people that love it and that it will help.
We’ve been putting a big push on social media which has been a grind, but we know it’ll be worth it in the long run.
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
IDEAL HORIZON: Simply put…helping people. That’s why we all want to do music for our careers.
We want to help people in the same way our favorite bands have helped us.
We love seeing people in the crowd singing along and seeing the look on their faces where you know that the music has touched them.
Or having people message us or comment on our posts talking about how much they love our music or how it’s helped them through a tough time.
That’s what makes us happy and we can’t wait to continue doing that!
