Getting To Know... LOVESBLIND

After spending the last few years delivering a wealth of fresh and explosive anthems, Iowa-based outfit LOVESBLIND return once again with their enigmatic new single 'levitate'.

Bringing together a heady mix of blistering alt-rock textures with a hip-hop flair throughout, 'levitate' makes for a brilliantly inventive listen. With its raw and driven power, blended up with some vibrant hooks from start to finish, this lot are certainly ones to watch over the coming months.

So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has been inspiring them lately.

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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?

Hunter: Guitar as well, very similar situation to Alex. Growing up on 80s metal and classic rock it just made sense.

Alex: Definitely the guitar, growing up listening to bands like Guns N Roses and Motley Crue it just seemed like the obvious choice at the time.

Joseph: Drums, right from the start. Going to live shows it’s the thing you feel in your chest pounding repeatedly, and that intensity drew me in.

What kind of music did you love when you were younger?

Hunter: I just fell in love with 80s rock/hair bands and 2000s pop punk and metalcore.

Alex: First developing a music taste of my "own", it was definitely more modern rock/metal, like Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park, etc.

Joseph: When I was a kid my dad introduced me to a lot of 80’s classic rock and as I became a teenager I gravitated towards more pop-punk and hardcore genres.

What was the first album you remember owning?

Hunter: Green Day’s American Idiot.

Alex: The first album I very specifically remember owning was the Minutes To Midnight album by Linkin Park.

Joseph: For Those Who Have Heart by A Day To Remember.

What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?

Hunter: “It Wasn’t Me” by Shaggy, damn I love that song.

Alex: "Waiting for the End" by Linkin Park comes to mind, always just been a huge fan of this song as it accomplishes so many things very very well.

Joseph: “Closure” by The Story So Far, the pop-punk instrumental mixed with the self-analytical lyrics about struggling with love and relationships really spoke to me as a teenager and carried into young adulthood.

Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?

Hunter: In the past, I would lock myself in my room and listen to The Cars and/or Blue Oyster Cult records when writing.

Alex: Nothing too specific, it's mostly just a matter of recognizing when I'm in the right mindset to write. It's a huge help to recognize when it's like "Nope, today isn't the day, let's move on for now".

Joseph: Honestly it all happens either in my room or on long car rides, I really can’t write anywhere else.

Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?

Hunter: Brakence, Oliver Francis, and Bilmuri are big ones for me right now.

Alex: Three of the main artists I’ve been listening to lately would be Oliver Francis, Subtronics, and ERRA.

Joseph: I Prevail’s “Power” and Cal Scruby’s “Casino” records are both in heavy rotation for me right now.

If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?

Hunter: Opening for Chase Atlantic would be pretty dope.

Alex: Post Malone, 100%. Huge fan of his music/overall vibe and it would be an honor to get an opening slot on one of his shows.

Joseph: Honestly, my dream band to open for would be Pierce The Veil.

What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?

Hunter: Making new friends and new fans. Always super rewarding to hear that someone genuinely likes what you’ve created. Also, free beer.

Alex: Just seeing people actually relate to and enjoy the music. It's a pretty neat experience.

Joseph: Being able to create something that strikes a chord with others. It’s a very satisfying feeling.

And what is the most frustrating part?

Hunter: Not being able to fully articulate an idea for a song you hear in your head, that can be very frustrating.

Alex: Getting your music in front of people who would potentially really enjoy it. Music is incredibly accessible in today's world, which means there's a lot out there to "compete" with. Don't confuse that with comparing yourself to other artists, that's just not a healthy mindset to have.

Joseph: Outreach. Putting your work into the void is daunting enough, on top of hoping it reaches the people who would genuinely enjoy it.

And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?

Hunter: Never take any backwards steps. Just keep pushing forward and getting better/writing more. No time to waste.

Alex: I sort of touched on this earlier, but definitely recognizing when you're not in the right mindset to write/be creative. It saves a lot of time where you'd otherwise be blankly staring at a screen and not really accomplishing anything.

Joseph: Support your local music scenes. The connections, friendships, and memories you make along the way are all integral parts of growing as a musician and as a person in general.

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LOVESBLIND's new single 'levitate' is available to stream now. Check out the new video for it in the player below.