With a bopping bass-line, guitar riffs, and the intoxicating accent for each downbeat, "Heart Emoji" opens up with the same amount of jovial heart-mush sentiment that the emoticon would produce after receiving it from someone you secretly have a crush on.
Comprising members, Ayla Tesler-Mabe and brothers Max and Rhett Cunningham, have already shared the stage with alternative-blues soulster Brittany Howard, and musical virtuosos, Snarky Puppy.
"Heart Emoji" focuses on reminiscing over the past and holding faith in a new romance amidst an old spark. There is an adhesive backdropping anecdote that embellishes the feeling of upliftment you get when diving into the other-worldly soul-pop aesthetic the Vancouver based band Ludic produces so naturally on this single. Think if Duo Lipa matched up with the articulated minds behind Lawrence to cover the crooning swoonsters of the 70s.
Funk-guitars, twinkling bells, articulating bass-lines, and a steady drummer who never waivers offbeat overwhelms you with how much hot-blood infatuation sits behind every intended accent they dispatch.
At two-minutes, "Heart Emoji" down-shifts into their uniquely described "Alien-Motown" dominions, where modulating synths chirp radically above a deep-grooving rhythm section; that collude together amongst cow-bells, percussion, and oscillating pads.
Unsurprisingly, before you can stretch your arms out from moments of relief, or catch your breath from the gyrating sway your hips have been producing for the last 3 minutes, the infatuating dance-floor Ludic assembles explodes over the resounding hook one last time, "I know that you and me just might be, it's all that I can see, match with me"
Hello Ludic and welcome to BuzzMusic. What were the inspirations behind this song's groovy spirit, cohesive sonic textures, and the soul-infused top-line behind the hook?
Sonically, it was really inspired by 90’s/2000’s RnB and Pop. By the time the song was done, we’d also managed to sneak just a little bit of 70’s funk in there as well! We write instrumentals first a lot of the time while having a topic of interest in mind for lyrics. Getting a beat that was extremely satisfying but also unique and angular was super important to us on this song. It was a similar approach with the melody line, making it instantly hooky but angular like the instrumentals was key to making the song stand out to us!
Can you tell us a little bit about the process behind recording "Heart Emoji"? How do you usually come up with stories for your dance-inducing single?
The song was inspired by an experience none of us have really had. A lot of our songs are written from another perspective than our own, and this one is no different. We explored what we felt it might be like to fall in love with someone online, through pictures, bios, and emojis! It really came from the idea that people "fall in love" with someone without even really knowing them first and go on to pursue it. The song continues to be flirty and fun but there is a bit of superficiality to it all which we're touching on.
What sorts of emotions did you find yourselves channeling into for the performances featured on "Heart Emoji"?
The song is really playful but also kinda sleek and cool. Confidence was really the main ingredient that allowed us to effectively change our tone and performance. You gotta pump yourself up when you're singing, convince yourself, and then you can convince others haha.
Have there been any creative rituals you've found solace in as we transition from patio-season and into Flu-season amid COVID-19?
Going for walks constantly keeps things balanced. Lots of outdoor stuff helps with the mental fog and fatigue we find. Rainy walks are nice too!
What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?
Working hard always keeps us moving and pushing for new stuff. We don’t really ever stop thinking about music/art, so we’re always pretty inspired to create. Just make sure to take brain breaks.