Looking back upon your teenage years can be cringe-worthy, but it can also be a little inspiring. There was a sense of naiveness for many, as well as tons of impulsive decisions being made.
But hey – it was fun, and who’s to say you can’t have fun as an adult? Certainly not ISLAND, that’s for sure!
Rollo Doherty, Jack Raeder, James Wolfe and Toby Richards make up ISLAND, one of London’s crown jewels in the alternative rock scene. The quartet came together as teenagers, and put out folk-leaning sounds into the world. The group split for a while, but came back and better than ever years later – now formally as ISLAND.
ISLAND’s debut EP Girl was released in 2015, and its first single “Stargazer” quickly landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist. Sold out shows across the UK followed, as well as festival slots at The Great Escape, London Calling, and Reeperbahn. Since day one, everything about ISLAND has been totally DIY. Each of the members enjoy being involved in each aspect of the creative process, and of course, having the freedom to be spontaneous.
It all comes together on ISLAND’s new single “Octopus.”
“‘Octopus’ describes the feeling of looking back on rebellious teenage years from a time where an impulse to cause trouble has been replaced with new sentiments,” the band says. “It’s about the conflict felt as a musician between wanting to grow older and wiser and wanting to stay young, and it asks if we as a world are only interested in stories, and whether normality is something to be desired. A world in which you might be persuaded to change yourself to fit in, like an octopus changes colour to adapt to its surroundings. The song ends by flirting with the idea of reverting back to old ways, and getting back to making trouble.”
Check out “Octopus” below. It’s… as the kids say… the chef’s kiss!