Jōviky enthralls his listeners as a storyteller. Although he is known by friends to be rather soft-spoken, his intoxicating compositions reveal some not-so-quiet truths. As he unearths his realities, the music he crafts fall at an intersection somewhere near dark alternative Pop and alternative Hip-hop. Even in the most obscure of lyrics, Jōviky shares stories with those who are willing, curious, and patient enough to listen and sometimes read between the lines and the chords.
The mind-altering resonance of “Yeah, No,” pulls you under its chilling wave progressing in the accompaniment of delicate, reverberated vocals. The gentle ease of the lyrics shed effortlessly fit the contributory soundscape as the sound effects act as an instrument in their own manner throughout the composition. Lathered in ominous tones that encourage you to sink into the depths of your seat as you transport your wandering mind to the mesmerizing utopia that Jōviky lives in, you can’t help but to catch on to a new perspective through every note and harmony drizzled in the evolution of “Yeah, No.”
Illuminating bright lights upon the Lo-fi canvas of viewpoints, Jōviky uses his abstract wording in order to splatter his message across this masterpiece. Honing in on actualities, things are not always as they seem. He urges us to remember that there are numerous sides to the story, and hopefully, you can see through the lens he provides. The ambient treasures that are uncovered in “Yeah, No,” deliver creativity and profoundness on a silver platter. Jōviky will continue to immerse us in brilliant themes as long as we follow the lit path that he has paved. Taking music to an otherworldly limit, we will patiently wait for the next release as we descend into our thoughts of “Yeah, No.”
Congratulations on the mesmerizing release of “Yeah, No,” and welcome to BuzzMusic. Could you please let us know what moment inspired the theme behind this record?
I wrote and recorded this track before quarantine, in fact, it’s actually one of the first songs I ever completed. During this time, I was using music as a creative avenue to explore my mental health and I was struggling with coming to terms with how many times I’ve repeated the same mistakes in life, even though I know better. These repeated thoughts led to a feeling of existential dread. Like, do we even have free will or a choice in life? Can we break our own negative patterns? These intense personal moments are what inspired the themes of “Yeah, No” and if I’m honest, I’m still exploring these themes in my music. I have an EP coming out at the end of December that delves much deeper into these themes.
How was the creative process for “Yeah, No,” different from other songs you have created?
I often derive inspiration for lyrics from chords or atmospheric sounds but with this track, I created the drum pattern first and wrote to that. Originally, I planned on sort of rapping the lyrics at a much faster tempo. When I began laying down vocals, it just felt better to speak/sing them. I ended up slowing down the beat which gave it a really trippy disjointed vibe which is what I was feeling inside. I found myself performing as if I were expressing my own thoughts directly from my brain to the microphone. As I added layers to the track and it started to come together, I realized what I was trying to express was a sort of telepathy. Stephen King has this quote that “writing is an act of telepathy” and I believe lyrics in music can be the same. I intentionally recorded my vocals to sound as if they are my inner thoughts being transferred through the music. To keep it 100, I’ve actually been criticized about the way the vocals in this track are mixed, but I stand by my choice. I know it’s a little weird or unorthodox but I’m creating music from a fine art standpoint, not a commercial one.
What would you like your listeners to take from the themes and messages in your music?
I want my listeners to be inspired to explore their own inner feelings and know that they aren’t alone even when they feel alone. Often, we walk around trapped in our own mind not realizing that the person next to us might very well be feeling the exact same thing. It’s important to find outlets to explore the feelings and thoughts that we hide from ourselves. I’ve recently discovered creating music fills that void for me, but I want my listener friends to find what that outlet can be for them. It’s made a world of difference for me, especially in these strange times we are living in.
What non-musical inspirations do you allow to speak into your music?
I recently learned that the word empathy was created as a response to art and how people relate to it. Before, there was no word to describe why art can make people feel something indescribable. That shit really spoke to me, that the concept of empathy was essentially created because of art and now there is an entire social revolution that has evolved around people having more empathy and emotional intelligence. That is what I want to speak through my music. If I can amplify the idea or concept of empathy when people listen to my music then I’m doing something right.
What has been keeping you inspired to create music throughout 2020?
I got lost for a while, even before 2020. I’ve spent a lot of years using my creative skills to support other people and organizations. I wasn’t sure who I was anymore or what I truly stood for as an artist. Music allowed me to have that outlet of self-discovery. I’m truly re-creating myself one song at a time.
