ON OUR RADAR: OCEAN HEIGHTS
Square One Magazine had the chance to interview Justin from Ocean Heights on their new single ‘Call’, out now.
Q: WHAT CAN LISTENERS EXPECT FROM THIS NEW TACK?
A: Definitely a new sound from us like we’re usually a lot more upbeat, but we’re going for more of a mellow sound.
Q: HOW DID YOU START OUT?
A: We started as just me and our bass player when we were in high school, and pretty much just made duo music, because we were never able to play as a band so we just recorded in his room and the songs would be like five guitar parts and drums and keyboard, you know, things we would never actually get to do live, so as time went on we were like ‘man, we should get another guitar player and we got young frank, who bought tyler, and we went through a few drummers. Basically, over three or four years, we became a real band.
Q: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM YOU’VE HAD TO OVERCOME SO FAR IN YOUR CAREER?
A: Being a band is fucking expensive. It definitely takes a toll, like i'm glad i have my pals and stuff to help. Especially like touring, and getting write up, and publicists, and pitching playlists, and people think you just write a song and put it on spotify and that’s it, but there’s so much into hopefully making it work.
Q: OF THE TRACKS YOU HAVE OUT SO FAR, WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE?
A: My personal favorite is ‘Kinda Love’. I think that’s fire. It’s slept on.
Q: WHAT IS THE MOST USELESS TALENT THAT YOU HAVE?
A: That would probably be chugging a bottle of water in five seconds.
Q: WHO INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE THIS KIND OF MUSIC?
A: Definitely Frank Ocean and Childish Gambino. They kind of made R&B into a new level where, well you know how every genre has that person that just puts it up there, and raises the bar? I think they are the artists of R&B. We want to do things, but do them in a new way that people don’t really think about.
Q: DO YOU DEAL WITH PERFORMANCE ANXIETY? IF SO, HOW?
A: I don’t deal with it that much anymore, but i’m like really shy and not very outgoing. I’m awkward in real life, so I use performing as an excuse to be outgoing, because it’s usually really uncomfortable like if i'm at a party or something i don't want to talk to people, but on stage it’s expected so it isn't weird.
Q: IF YOU COULD OPEN FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE?
A: Probably either Frank or childish Gambino, honestly. I feel I would be super terrified to open for Frank, and would be less terrified to open for childish gambino. I feel like our audience would be closer. So probably Childish Gambino.
Q: WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND ‘CALL’?
A: I feel not a lot of our songs are about specific scenario. It’s a combination or people I know and people close to me and their relationships, or pieces of relationships I’ve been in in the past, so kind of just a combination of that and feeling lonely. Wanting to feel wanted.
Q: HOW TO YOU FEEL STREAMING SERVICES HAVE AFFECTED THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
A: Definitely a lot of good and a lot of bad. I feel the bad is definitely not new. Streaming services are so much easier for the average consumer, but at the same time they severely underpay artists. If you think about a single in the 90s physically you will be like 6-10 dollars per cd, but streaming services you get like a fraction of a penny. So, great for convenience, but can definitely be improved on.