VOODOO BLOO 'HER NAME WAS HUMAN'

With an explosive guitar driven intro, the new single from NZ-based artist Voodoo Bloo - ‘Her Name Was Human’ - proves there is more to this band than just Punk Rock. The moniker of songwriter and musician Rory McDonald, Voodoo Bloo and their new music comes to indie rock fans with urgency and excitement powering it throughout, with a hint of Pop thrown in for good measure.

‘Her Name was Human’ strums along with a toe tapping melody, channeling influences from artists such as Arctic Monkeys, Neutral Milk Hotel and Car Seat Headrest. The tempo changes and variations throughout the song are complex but remain catchy, leaving you wanting more.

Recorded at PlasticGrooveHQ in Wellington before being mixed and mastered at Hammerhead Studios with Niel De Jong (Alien Weaponry), ‘Her Name Was Human’ is a reflection of the people of today and finding their way in life. According to the artist, “This track delves heavily into the growth of teens today, especially when it comes to intimate relationships and how they can’t always appear as happy and wholesome as they may seem. Sometimes the person you trust the most could be the person hurting you more than you could imagine, or even care to realise. This song goes deep into a person's judgement of character, and the effects it can have on your mental health.” Voodoo Bloo

Straying away from the simplistic nature of his debut music video MMA, Rory McDonald wanted to take a dive into a more story driven concept for Her Name Was Human (video still in production). “I believe that we’ve captured the energy of the song so well in this vid. It creates an unsettling feeling in light-hearted scenarios, and really gives a visual understanding of what those lonely and hurtful feelings can do to your intimate relationships as well as the domino effect it can have on your friends and family” Voodoo Bloo.

Though Voodoo Bloo is a relatively new project, for McDonald, music has been a large part of his life for some years now. Forming hard rock group Lucifer Gunne in 2017 brought the 15 year old McDonald to wider attention in New Zealand, while the band’s single release ‘Energenetic’ made its way to Australian ears not long after, generating praise of its own. Moving into a new phase in 2020, Voodoo Bloo was created to explore new artistic avenues and with ideas already firmly in place for the Jacobus album (set for release this year), the pieces fell together quickly and easily. “I wanted to start a new chapter in my musical career, but to still use the knowledge I gained from my previous band to try and make something really special to me.” Voodoo Bloo

With this current lockdown situation preventing shows from taking place for many, if not all, artists in Australia and in New Zealand, plans are in the works for moving into Voodoo Bloo’s next phase once we all are able to pour back into venues to enjoy live music once more. Until then, more music is on the way.

Sarah Leota