Oceans is a sweet folk ballad with a wholesome video journal to go with it
GENRE: INDIE POP VIDEO RELEASE DATE: 27 July 2019 SONG RELEASE DATE: 19 July 2019 Malaysia indie pop group Battle Bloom released a music video for their single "Oceans" last month which documents their trip around Korea, anchored around floating lyrics about finding home in a person you love. According to their press statement: "The lyrics capture motion at every turn, from letting the sails go to dancing in dreams, it encapsulates the act of travelling that’s in constant movement. It also juxtaposes feeling lost and a sense of belonging, painting a picture where it’s possible to experience both at once". The music video aka video journal was shot by Annatasha Saifol and subtitled in Korean by Manju of the band, Manju Pocket. Lead singer, Melissa, told us in an email interview why she was driven to write about the seemingly paradoxical feeling of simultaneously being lost and having a sense of belonging: "A lot of the lyrics from our songs come from my [Melissa's] travel journal. I used to go away for a few months at a time, which I always felt quite conflicted about. One on hand I really appreciated the alone time and having the space to be on my own to find my place in the world; On the other hand, sometimes I also felt lost and alone. I was straddling this limbo until I learned that home is where the heart is - having people you can connect with and trust makes a strange place a lot less intimidating and foreign. Home is not just a physical place, it’s something you feel inside." Battle Bloom consists of Melissa Toh (Vocals), Fariz Salleh (Guitar), Dianne Lim (Keyboard & Vocals) and Ryan Lee Bhaskaran (Drums & Percussion). Their name is meant to endeavour the band's endeavour in combining elements of folk, pop, metal and rock. The band's repertoire only includes one debut album so far, namely Maps and Diagrams, which came out back in 2017. From their debut, the band has shown their knack for a polished, folk pop sound; occasionally embellished by classic rock solos. In "Oceans" you see all of the elements that make up a standard Battle Bloom track, leaning toward a luscious ballad production. The video journal showing their Korean tour adds a fuzzy warmth to the song. At the time this article was published, the band just came back from doing shows in the Philippines. Ocean will be a part of their upcoming album, slated for a release in the first half of 2020. "We can tell you that we have a plan", said Melissa,"and that we think we're pretty decent at executing plans". Battle Bloom has so far navigated their way around their many influences to produce safe, cosy music. But as evident with singles like The Fight (Round 2). there is definitely a punchier, groovier side to them that's yet to fully manifest. Ocean also shows that the heart of Battle Bloom music is their comforting, occasionally introspective lyrics and vocal harmonies, and if you're into that sort of quietly heart-wrenching coffee shop ditty than the band is definitely for you. Here's hoping Oceans is a mere tip-toe on the shores of what's to come in Battle Bloom's discography. RATING: 3 / 5 Listen to "Maps and Diagrams":