Meet bluecouch, a cross-continental duo sharing their debut single, Shampoo

There's a strong future in the kind-of lo-fi bedroom pop sound we've seen explode ten-fold over the last few years, with the genre's exciting next-generation making themselves known week after week. As it appears, the commercial blossoming of heavyweights in the sound - international heavy-hitters like Rex Orange County and Clairo, for example - are inspiring a tonne of fresh faces on an ongoing basis, to the point where it seems like every day we're introducing someone new with a different, unique take on bedroom pop.

No different is bluecouch, an intercontinental duo composed of a Melbourne-based musician and a London-based producer split apart from one another due to lockdowns and international travel restrictions, yet somehow, are still managing to create catchy and bright-eyed indie-pop thanks to online sessions and internet collaboration. You couldn't guess the distance between the pair from the music, however; the duo's slick alt-pop sound full of their personalities intertwining amongst one another, exploring the mid-point of their respective influences and over-arching sounds.

Their debut single Shampoo - released today - showcases exactly what we're talking about. It's a dancing three minutes of rich indie-pop that feels fresh and exciting, combining swaying, almost-psychedelic-like instrumentation with a rich vocal full of relatable and charismatic lyricism. It's a combination that's become somewhat synonymous with bedroom pop over the last few years, but bluecouch manage to bring a new life to it in Shampoo; something about their connection and spirit giving the single an edge that makes it stand tall on their own.

"I’ve had the melody floating in my head for while, and when I went to record it ‘shampoo sting my eyes’ were just the words that came bursting out. They just seem too fit too well," says the duo on the single, which also arrives alongside an official video clip co-starring their close pals, and recorded by the band's own Joel Fenton. "The song is about enjoying the small things and a sort of love song to my friends, which is fitting because the video is just my friends hanging out and being cool around Melbourne. I shot it on an old VHS camera and I think it captured their amazing personalities perfectly."

There's not too much else we can really say about bluecouch just yet, but as they make an entrance with their debut single Shampoo, consider them a pairing to be across. For now, however, you can take a dive into the song below, and underneath, find the time to meet bluecouch as we flick 'em a couple of questions to introduce themselves:

Tell us about yourself?

We’re Joel and Ben. We're 2 mates, currently separated by the equator, who make music on our laptops.

What’s your music like? What does it sound like? What kind of themes does it usually cover? 

The genre meets right in the middle of Ben’s years trained of jazz performance and theory, and Joel’s late-night heartbreak bedroom pop

What are your production and writing processes usually like? 

When we lived together last year we wrote a lot of music but never recorded anything. Lockdown gave us the perfect opportunity to download Logic and fumble our way through learning the art of production and mixing.

Although definitely unconventional, I think we’ve really got it down and now it’s given us a distinct sound. I still use my iPhone's mic to record vocals because it just feels more comfortable. 

Can you tell us about your latest single, Shampoo, and its video clip?

I’ve had the melody floating in my head for while, and when I went to record it ‘shampoo sting my eyes’ were just the words that came bursting out. They just seem too fit too well. The song is about enjoying the small things and a sort of love song to my friends, which is fitting because the video is just my friends hanging out and being cool around Melbourne. I shot it on an old VHS camera and I think it captured their amazing personalities perfectly 

What do you have planned for the rest of 2021?

This single is the first off a 4 track EP. Step one is releasing that - and the day restrictions are lifted Ben will fly back to Melbourne. We’ve really got the bedroom pop thing down now so I can’t wait to see what happens when we’re in a studio together!

What do you want people to take away from your work? 

I just think that there's nothing more special than how your favourite song can make you feel when you’re sad or enhance an experience when you’re happy. It’s one of life's greatest gifts and if any of the music we can make connects with anyone like music has connected with me I think that would be the coolest thing ever 

Where can we find more of your music?

We are on all major streaming platforms and our music vid is on YouTube. 

Follow bluecouch: INSTAGRAM