Judging by the angular riffs in ‘Waiting For Fire’, one could briefly think of Roar Idle as a math rock project. That would be the wrong assumptions, although it must be noted that the group does bathe in a rather large pool of guitar-coded influences. Jumping from playful and friendly indie and blues melodies to more hypnotic psychedelic tropes, ‘Sailing In My Mind’ enjoys a deeply eclectic ethos, one that partly relates to its overall sea-themed title. You see, Roar Idle are essentially navigating the high seas (not those high seas), pulling fragments of memories and bits of musical allure from the world around them.
What’s even more surprising is that Roar Idle is actually just a duo! Their sound is rather expansive, yet not too chaotic, allowing Ro Arora (vocals/guitar/songwriting) and Olly Massey (drums/bass) to find a cohesive and wholesome path forward. There’s a certain correlation between titles and aural shapes, with ‘Floating’ being unveiled as a literal sonic blanket, a hazy and dreamy piece steeped in slow tempos and overall minimalism.
‘Sailing In My Mind’ marks the second full-length effort to date for Roar Idle. Hailing from London, Ro and Olly have quietly developed a peculiar artistic identity, and honestly, they come across like some sort of musical overachievers, at least judging by the album at hand. Delving deeper into their songwriting, the pair explains: “It centres on themes of love, longing, and dreams shaped by the sea.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Sailing In My Mind’ now: