"The inspiration was gone. 3 ep’s, 3 albums and 11 European tours later we felt that we had taken the band as far as we could. We did not want to get stale and end up as some old sad 'rock band' touring and releasing records without any content or energy."
With the unique craftsmanship David and Gunnar have together they tried recording something different from what Leiah was doing. The band was still around at the time but was heading nowhere. The music that came out sounded like nothing they had done before. Blending the little they knew about electronics with a lot of sloppy harmonic guitar chords they set the fundament of what would become the sound of Ikaros.
With a new spark they gathered the rest of the people that would form the band. They knew that friendship is what makes a band interesting and puts soul into the music so they asked Ralf Kuja-Halkola and Dan Engkvist to join them. Ralf had been playing music with David since childhood and he is the co-pilot in David’s solo project Ariel Kill Him (Kasual Recordings). With some years at Jazz school David and Gunnar knew he would be the perfect friend to play the organ and keyboards. Dan, the multicolored musician from Hälsingland would be the other member to complete the band. Dan has the ability to play any instrument given in his hand and is also an old childhood friend to Gunnar so with Dan in the band Ikaros was complete.
With all the members located in the “small” northern Swedish city: Gävle and armed with the best rehearsal place the city can give the songwriting and recording of songs has been a true adventure.
"Even if a song is stuffed with melodies and the melodies are fighting each other to be hearable we don’t think that our music is in any way pretentious or hard to listen too. When you listen to a production or song that Phil Spector has made you get that wall of sound feeling, the melodies hits you like a speeding train! That’s what we strive for in Ikaros. We also want the listener to feel that the music we make is in no way crafted out of big city complexity, it's rather small city boredom and paranoia. Each member has a totally different taste in music but together we have one thing that we love in common; melodies, and David’s head is full of them."
In December 2004 Ikaros signed a record deal with the Swedish indie label Kasual Recordings. The long awaited Ep on Strange Fruit is finding its way out to the audience in early 2005 and Ikaros knows you will like it. 4 songs of indie extravaganza! An album is being completed at the Jesus Lo-Tech facility and Kasual Recordings are preparing its launch in 2005! When it’s done you will hear about it!
"We are getting a lot of e-mails regarding our closure with Leiah. People got really sad when we broke up but as we have written to people that has been asking us about our new band; The future is in Ikaros and we hope you will reunite with us as we will hit the road again! We promise you some excessive touring in 2005 and the forthcoming album and Ep will not make anyone disappointed!"
SOURCE
Ava
Ikaros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you understand we all need. To feel like we're something or someone.
Now you know how it will go. I will loose my mind.
And I assume that I love you and that you know what it means to me.
I just can't get my shit together. Why is it so damn hard to just feel fine?
The song "Ava" by Ikaros delves into the theme of mental instability and the need for support from loved ones in times of distress. The first stanza, "You better hold me when it's coming. You this body start to feel like it isn't mine," depicts the experience of dissociation, a symptom often found in individuals with mental health disorders, where one feels disconnected from their own thoughts, feelings, and body. The singer is calling for their loved one to hold them during these moments of distress, signaling their need for comfort and human connection.
The second stanza, "Don't you understand we all need. To feel like we're something or someone," highlights the universal human need for validation and a sense of belonging. The singer is reaching out to their loved one to understand the importance of feeling seen and heard, and how it can be a catalyst for mental health.
In the third stanza, "Now you know how it will go. I will lose my mind," the singer is acknowledging their own vulnerability and the inevitability of their mental health struggles. The use of the word "assume" in the fourth stanza, "And I assume that I love you and that you know what it means to me," suggests that the singer may not fully trust their own emotions and needs reassurance from their loved one.
The line "What is lost will soon be found, or is it the other way around?" is a poignant reflection on the cyclical nature of mental health, with its ups and downs. The song ends with the admission of "I just can't get my shit together. Why is it so damn hard to just feel fine?" depicting the struggle of living with mental health issues and the perpetual search for inner peace.
Line by Line Meaning
You better hold me when it's coming. You this body start to feel like it isn't mine.
I need you to hold me when I'm struggling because I feel disconnected from my own body.
Don't you understand we all need. To feel like we're something or someone.
It's important for everyone to have a sense of identity and purpose.
Now you know how it will go. I will loose my mind.
I'm warning you that I may suffer from mental health issues that cause me to lose control of my thoughts and emotions.
And I assume that I love you and that you know what it means to me.
I believe that I love you but I need you to recognize the significance of that love for me.
What is lost will soon be found, or is it the other way around?
I'm questioning the nature of losing and finding things in life, whether it's a physical or emotional loss.
I just can't get my shit together. Why is it so damn hard to just feel fine?
I'm struggling to cope with my problems and wishing it was easier to find peace of mind.
Contributed by Logan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.