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Born out of boredom and convenience, J4eva started out as three housemates running out of things to do in Melbourne’s lockdown. The result – a collection of songs that combine romance, humour and self-reflection with pop hooks and a punk attitude. Setting up in their lounge room on a Friday afternoon, J4eva jam into the early hours of the morning, capturing their excitement and revelry as the night progresses. “We use first takes of everything, so we don’t over complicate lyrics or the way we’re playing” says Lewis. “We’re not trying to be perfect; we’re just trying to get it out.” This approach means J4eva’s songs are refreshingly straightforward – a translation of the trio’s natural dialogue cultivated over the last five years of living together. The only goal as far as they’re concerned is to express themselves quickly and honestly, enjoying each other’s company in the process. “When we’re writing we forget about the crap going in the real world, so the songs are a real happy place for us” Aidan notes. The happy place is seemingly brought to life on the whimsical, B52’s-inspired ‘Believe It’, Bronte’s cheerful vocal matching the energy of the guitars and beat as she sings of her dreams of flying. The band’s carefree, sun-soaked perspective has brought out a surf-rock sound on first single ‘Medicine’, a track which boasts lovesick lyrics paired with breezy guitars and three-part harmonies. “That was the most fun to record because it was all of us belting out these harmonies huddled around the mic, recalls Maguire. “We kept laughing at each other’s face while singing really passionately.” Passion is evidentially a key ingredient, with the animated call and response between Bronte and Lewis on ‘Bubbles’ accentuating the song’s themes of infatuation. Buoyed by a whistled melody and intoxicating bass line, it’s this backdrop that makes the song even more charming, particularly so when Lewis sings “All my tears evaporate when you kiss me on the face / kiss me kiss me til I’m dead / baby baby”. Aidan even admits this crescendo on ‘Bubbles’ makes him slightly teary. J4eva certainly aren’t a band looking to take themselves too seriously, citing British comedy shows Peep Show and The Mighty Boosh as two of their biggest inspirations. It’s these references that give J4eva their tongue-in- cheek attitude, making the anthem for self-deprecation ‘Try to Be Cool’ humorous in tone even when Aidan calls himself a loser. “I’m being serious!” he laughs. With extended periods at home comes introspection and even the fun-loving J4eva aren’t immune from feeling insecure about their lives and what the future holds. A restlessness seeps into tracks like ‘Fast Lane’ which has Maguire singing I’ve been living in the last lane, it’s never too fast for me” before countering this with “I want something different.” Reflecting on the track Maguire explains: “I think that line speaks to us in 10 years living on a farm, with a veggie patch, a bunch of resecured animals and a big studio out the back.” It’s this sentiment that suggests J4eva is a family unit, just as much as it is a musical project. “Our love for each other really flows through the lyrics and music,” says Maguire. And though the project is inextricably linked to this love and their creative home, it’s now time for J4eva to be unleashed into the wild.