London quintet Junodream have emerged as ones to watch, with early tracks such as ‘To The Moon’ and their debut EP ‘Terrible Things Could Happen’ collecting over 2 million streams as well as praise from Wonderland, BBC Introducing, Radio X, The Line of Best Fit and Clash. Constantly evolving, the band now take a bold step forward with their new track ‘Limiter’. It’s the first song to preview their new EP which follows on 29th November.
Creatively welding plaintive alt-rock with soaring bursts of shoegaze and psychedelic atmospherics, ‘Limiter’ demonstrates that Junodream’s potential pushes confidently forward with every release. “Maybe the night’s got the best of me / Maybe I’m a lodestar in too deep,” begins vocalist Ed Vyvyan before guitars flourish and crash around him. It’s a scene-setting opening for a song which addresses contemporary concerns: the balance between insecurity and living up to the social norms and identity that comes with modern masculinity.
Collectively, the EP presents a collection of vignettes of the experiences of an ordinary young man – experiences each of the band have been through. Reminiscent of the character Gregor Samsa, they’re told from the perspective of a regular person: someone who doesn’t complain about his struggles in life, but who nonetheless suffers with the emotions that come with them.
Those themes bubble throughout, with ‘Nobody Wants You’ focusing on crippling self-doubt, ‘Isn’t It Lovely (To Be Alone)’ capturing the self-defeating power of overwhelming social anxiety, and humiliation and anger simmering in ‘As Far As I See’. They’re songs in which Junodream share the concerns of their generation – like many people in their early twenties, the band also battle with the grind of their day jobs and the overwhelming cost of living.
“These songs are all related to anxiety, which is something we all struggle with,” says Vyvyan. “When I look back at the past year, there’s a feeling of dissatisfaction, of wanting to break away from being suffocated by debt, relationships and rent. Most people we know are in the same situation. Maybe they’re stuck in jobs they don’t want to do, or are confused, depressed and feel inferior, or who feel that they have no control over their lives.”
The new video was directed by long term friend Ned Botwood, and was shot during a 50mph gale in a lost corner of the West Country. It was inspired by an aggressive encounter Vyvyan had with an uptight nightclub bouncer, which also became the basis of the song.
Dougal explains, “The video for Limiter is Ned’s surreal depiction of something totally mundane: getting pushed by someone bigger than you, feeling emasculated but being too scared to say anything. It’s set in a creepy rural underworld and follows a group of big, angry, emotional men. The video culminates in the hair-raisingly weird bouncer dance sequence.”
Junodream are Ed Vyvyan (lead vocalist), Dougal Gray (guitar), Tom Rea (guitar), Will Ryder (bass) and Jake Gidley (drums) – five old school friends who formed the band on the back of a shared passion for ‘90s alt-rock greats such as Radiohead, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Beck, Pavement and Slowdive After leaving university, the five-piece spent six months in small flat in Andover, their music and their bond both strengthened by their close living arrangements, relative isolation and the fresh air that comes with being away from the city.
Now based in London, Junodream have recently played the Neverworld and Jigsaw Festivals, and have also supported The Magic Gang. They’re now set to play the Wild Paths Festival in October ahead of Live At Leeds’ Ones To Watch showcase on November 23rd, plus their own headline date in London at Bermondsey Social club on 14th November.