Return to the Stage: Heals Unleashes Second Album, Emerald
The six-year wait has finally come to an end. The Bandung (Indonesia)-based enigmatic ensemble, Heals, has officially released their second full-length album titled Emerald. The quartet—comprising Alyuadi Febryansyah (Vocals, Guitar), Reza Arinal (Vocals, Guitar), Octavia Variana (Vocals, Bass), and Adi Reza (Drums)—proclaims this album as the manifestation of their evolutionary musical prowess.
"I believe every artist inevitably undergoes a transformative journey on their sophomore album," said Alyuadi regarding his response to the release of Emerald. "For Heals, the process of making this album was filled with new and impactful collective experiences, from innovative creative processes to a liberated musical exploration. We accomplished all of that together, quite literally, within the confines of two residences on Zamrud Street (Bandung), which became the origin of the name ‘Emerald."
The entirety of Emerald serves as a poignant reminder of Heals' expertise at delivering unforeseen auditory delights, be it in genre dynamics, instrumental intricacies, or lyrical themes. Compared to their first album, Spectrum (2017), Heals explores more musical elements, breaking through the boundaries of shoegaze, nu gaze, or alternative rock. This is clearly evident in "Supra”, an avant-garde single commencing with electronic nuances and guitar riffs, before ensnaring listeners with the band's signature musical progression. The song itself encapsulates the profound sense of solitude experienced by Heals' members, depicted within an apocalyptic narrative.
"We aspire for listeners to crave 'more' upon experiencing this album, while immersing themselves in a new and invigorating aesthetic of us,” Alyuadi adds.
Preceding the release of Emerald, Heals had unveiled three singles as a teaser to the album. The inaugural track, "Weathre," stands as an abstract reflection, a collective introspection of the band members predominantly transpiring during the pandemic. Egi Hisni (Fuzzy, I) assumed the directorial reins for the music video of "Weathre," now available for viewing on the Heals YouTube channel.
The subsequent releases, "Air Emas" and "Are You Ready," owe part to the involvement of Helvi Sjarifuddin (FFWD Records). Alyuadi also confirmed this, saying, "He enticed me to craft songs with a more straightforward structure, resonating with a broader audience. This catalyzed the birth of several songs, two of which are these singles." "Air Emas", an Indonesian-language composition, originates from a simple idea—discussing the meals consumed by the members. This premise is then wrapped in a musical fusion of diverse genres, with melodious vocals serving as the proverbial cherry on top. As if destined, this song met its match in Anggun Priambodo, who interpreted this somewhat eccentric theme into a music video to be watched on the FFWD Records YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, "Are You Ready," released on October 16, turns out to be a refreshing melancholic-themed song. "One could say that this is my endeavor to momentarily step away from the perception of the 'complex' songwriter," quips Alyuadi.
Emerald is now available on all streaming platforms as of November 6, released by FFWD Records and promoted by Microgram. In addition to these names, Heals also collaborated with several key figures in the making of Emerald. This includes Kenny Reyhansyah as an illustrator, Yudha Rahdyan and Rezki Delian as Sax and percussion in the song "Oxymoron," Dissa Kamajaya filling in synth in "Tasteless," and many other names.
This opus not only heralds the return of Heals with newfound musical tapestries, but also serves as a proclamation of their preparedness to embrace forthcoming milestones, following their achievements on prestigious stages such as Laneway Festival Singapore (2018), Synchronize Fest, and Soundrenaline.
