Better Joy unfolds the emotional rollercoaster of relationships in "Dead Plants"

Created by Bria Keely, and completed by her band, Better Joy embark on a musical mission to find beauty in contrasts - whether that's fusing together classic and contemporary sounds, or finding nuance in well-worn relationships. Bria began writing songs at university, and once connected to producer Mike Peden, her sound has since been fine-tuned to at once moody and dark, but also energetic and fun.

Better Joy's debut release "Hard To Love" was shared last October, and was recorded in Chapel Studios in Lincoln where Arctic Monkeys also recorded their debut. Now releasing their second effort, "Dead Plants" (via independent label Fader Amp), this track is an alternative love song that paws over the various manifestations of relationships. For instance, when the love may have faded but when the connection you have to someone is unconditional, and the awkward and uncomfortable unknown of what to do in that situation.

Melting jangly guitars with floaty vocals, it sounds like a lot’s going on but it’s actually quite simple. “I love you, but you make it hard to like you”, the track is both positive and melancholic. The accompanying video, directed by Cal McIntyre (The Last Dinner Party), is a stony visual set to a woodland backdrop. The production is gravitational, with well organised arrangements that draw the listener in and soothe so much so that they feel familiar with the melodies even on the first listen.

“’Dead Plants’ explores the complexities of love," Bria explains. "When relationships are drying out and you don’t have a lot left to water them with. When they’re one-sided; when you’re at the end of your tether but the love is unconditional, so it’s both a nightmare and equally hard to let go; to accepting and understanding that someone won’t or can’t change. Love isn’t lost, it’s reinvented and re-shaped to cater to our own needs and boundaries.”

Whilst this is only Better Joy's second release, the songwriting proves itself to be profound and solid. Experimenting between opposites; combining deep lyrics with simple melodies; bringing a sheer vulnerability to the project matched with an innate steeliness; all of this is what makes Better Joy so fresh. It is a deft fusion of classic and contemporary influences, boldly celebrating the tensions in the between. Their music embodies a roller coaster ride - one where you think you know what is going to happen from looking at the structures, but remain tantalised and thrilled with each twist of the track.