Bishop Ivy – tunnel vision

By starrymag | August 31, 2021

By: Ellie Yates

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I’ve had trouble doing so for a while now. I’ve heard “Frank Ocean meets John Mayer,” both of whom I look up to.  It’s an eclectic mix of radio-pop, indie singer-songwriter and alternative R&B. I used to tackle each of these in different songs, but it’s started to meld into one song.

 

Q) Who have been your musical influences?

 

A) Initially it was early 2010’s Top 40 stars like Bruno Mars, Adele and Ed Sheeran. In recent years I’ve taken on more alternative influences, especially for production, like James Blake, Bon Iver and Frank Ocean. I also look up to singer-songwriters like Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Elliott Smith.

 

Q) You use organic sounds brilliantly in your music. Do you have in mind which sounds you would like to capture for each particular song, or do you have a few stored up ready to use and play around with?

 

A) I generally play around with organic samples. I often make beats without any song in mind, and I’ll pick out sounds that work well aesthetically. I used to carry a field recorder around regularly to find interesting sounds. That’s all over my new record, including tunnel vision.

 

Q) Which organic sounds can be heard in your new single “tunnel vision?”

 

A) Roughly half of instrumental is field recordings. Some are me hitting tools together; some are trains; that constant beep is from a target line. There are camera clicks in there too.

 

Q) What was the inspiration behind the single?

 

A) “tunnel vision” was one of my first songs that I used my own field recordings. The beat for my song “In Spring” had some organic sounds that I found but didn’t record. I wanted to take that idea further by recording the sounds myself. The instrumental is half hip-hop, half alt-rock inspired. The lyrics are about a breakup I was going through at the time.

 

Q) The video for “tunnel vision” is fairly minimalistic, but mesmerizing to watch. How does the video reflect the meaning behind the song?

 

A) Tyler Dunning Evans, the video’s director, and I wanted something that aesthetically fit the mood of the song, without directly referencing the lyrics. There is something about the song that feels ghostly in nature, and floating above the ground embodies that eerie, supernatural feeling. Interpret how you will the mysterious car accident I seem to be hovering over.

 

Q) How much of an influence do you have in the production of your music and videos?

 

A) For the music, I’m currently the sole producer. I worked with Apollo LTD on production for my first 2 EPs, but my next one I wrote and recorded every instrument. The videos I have much more help with. Tyler provides a lot of the creative direction and expertise that I don’t quite have with visuals.

 

Q) Given the chance, who would you most like to collaborate with?

 

A) I would do anything to collaborate with James Blake. He’s my biggest influence for production. Also, a lot of my favorite records have been produced by Jack Antonoff. Working with more experienced producers has been hugely beneficial to my sound in the past, so I could only imagine how that might go.

 

Q) I see you are currently studying electrical engineering and computer science, alongside music, do you bring all of these skills together when making your music?

 

A) I’m just now becoming educated enough to combine them. I made my own midi-controlling glove from scratch, meaning I can control my music software on stage via hand gestures. I’m also now developing my own stage computer graphics that react to music, and I am writing some software to help me write music.

 

Q) What is your favorite song you have released so far, or one you think fans can relate to in particular?

 

A) I’m partial to whatever is newer. I love “tunnel vision” and “In Spring” and “Clockwork.” I think those all have the strongest lyrics, vocals and production at the same time. Those songs feel the most complete to me in that way.

 

Q) What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

 

A) I would say to focus on quality and honing your craft, in all respects of a release, from the music itself to the visuals to the release strategy. Your own release should be as exciting as your influences’.

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and those who have supported you throughout your career so far?

 

A) I’m super thankful for everyone that tunes into my music, especially those who have been around for years. I’ve been playing out now for about five years and it blows me away to find out some people who saw me street performing in 2015 are still fans to this day. I wouldn’t be able to be the artist I am now if no one was listening.