FHMY’s “My Blue Heaven” alongside AQL is surely an emotional rollercoaster that depicts life’s raw struggles; the bond between the two artists is certainly awe-inspiring as well. This song captures the first Egyptian shoegaze project – a genre that lets the listener embrace ethereal soundscapes. This was truly the sound, the first of its kind, from the region’s indie scene that captured attention. FHMY and AQL worked on this song together in Cairo’s Maadi and Haram neighborhoods. These two artists, who are best friends in real life, made Cairenes listen to their struggles, such as struggles with society, loss of close people, male loneliness, and other issues that haunted them since childhood, in the form of music. This subsequently generates fragments of the song that sound intense yet personal.
They used elements of rock, post-rock, locker, emo, and math rock, which can be observed in the evolution of the song along with the experience of it. They made the very core of the track with layered guitar and backed it up with lots of AQL vocals. Elements of old-fashioned films, anime, and gaming seem to be steeping through the song, creating a nostalgia effect that FHMY also cites as an important influence. The music video enhances the narrative, providing images that highlight the emotions covered on the track. It is evident that “My Blue Heaven” is not just a song, it is a sculpture that highlights the issues surrounding those that cannot be seen or heard.
In this release, FHMY is not only bringing a portion of his life story but also branding himself as one of its pioneers in the local landscape. This track works for him as an appetizer for the more intense narrative that is to come in his upcoming album, ‘The World You Grew Up in Does Not Exist Anymore’. Not crazy about teenagers of shoegaze and any music that will appeal to the senses, “My Blue Heaven” will stun and amaze all the people.
