Newly signed to heralded independent label Earache Records, BVDLVD (pronounced ‘Bad Lad’) has released yet another HUGE single, this time in the shape of ‘INEVITABLE’.
“This might be my favourite tune that I’ve ever made,” says BVDLVD (real name Josh Pearman). “It feels like real progression. I wanted to make a call back to the movies I used to watch as a kid where you would see the “you wouldn’t steal a car” clip. I talk a lot about fate, and how the world keeps on changing and moving forward. Whether you like it or not, you’re either gonna sit back and watch or be a part of it.”
2023 is the dawn of a new LVD. Having announced his newfound sobriety whilst supporting NASCAR ALOE in London earlier this year, the 22-year-old is ready to bear the scarred soul that he’s been numbing with substances for years. His upcoming album ‘ABSENCE’ (out September 29th on Earache Records) is a work of brutal self-honesty, capturing intensely vulnerable lyrical moments where he drops his seemingly invincible persona and allows fans to see the human beneath his superhuman character.
From the very outset, ‘ABSENCE’ detonates with BVDLVD’s unique creative approach, kicking off with the bold album opener ‘NO ONE CARES’, which radiates with his loveable humour whilst explicitly introducing fans to his inner demon, shape-shifted here into the form of an impudent interviewer. First single ‘Prison’ which dropped to huge fan and critical acclaim and excitement shows the versatility of BVDLVD’s musical output and is an outright banger. Featuring collaborations with like-minded groundbreakers such as PEZZHEAD, Biv and DEXNDRE, ‘ABSENCE’ serpentines its way through countless genre influences (try Drill, DNB and Emo Rap for starters), welcoming Hip-Hop, Metal and Punk fans through its gates. You can almost hear the smug smile sneak onto the album’s face as it considers how any critic will attempt to categorise its Pollockian vibrancy.
Josh explains: “‘ABSENCE’ really is what it says on the tin: I’ve been missing. Finding my inner self post-COVID, dealing with substance abuse, coming to realise I’ve got severe anxiety and all of the faff a 22-year-old man has to deal with as a fresh adult in a dismal society. And all while somehow trying to maintain this “Bad Lad” persona. I’m a self-taught college drop-out who failed his music GCSEs, so I’m always looking to prove how far I can take my music, despite being ‘ill-equipped’ in terms of what the British education system says I need to make it far in music. With ‘ABSENCE’, I really wanted to get my head down and focus on some of the core aspects of the art to elevate it to the next level. Progression is always a priority, so I’ve taken a super in-depth look at my mixing, mastering, vocal performance and, ultimately, becoming the process rather than fighting with it. That is, learning to live and breathe the music.”
He continues: “I feel like I’m in the process of making a much-needed leap in my music. There’s never really been a box that I’ve felt that I fit into. So I think I need to say ‘f*ck the box’ and craft my own. The art will guide me as I guide it. Throughout the process of creating ‘ABSENCE’, I have become the music. I think in music and I actively search for art with every step that I take.”
Track Listing is as follows:
1. NO ONE CARES (INTRO)
2. INEVITABLE
3. TIME WILL TELL (feat. PEZZHEAD)
4. NUMB
5. HOME
6. WHO AM I?
7. TABLE CLOTH (feat. Biv)
8. AISLE 13
9. NON-EXISTENT (feat. DEXNDRE)
10. PANIC ATTACK
11. AVODLOM (feat. BLCKK)
12. FORGET ME NOT (feat. FREDDY)
13. BORED
14. GET THIS FAR
15. HAPPY DEATH (feat. PROP)
16. PRISON
PRE-ORDER HERE: earache.com/bvdlvd
BVDLVD has evolved, shed his skin and evolved again more times than can be counted since his journey into the music industry started at 16 years old. Alienated by the British education system – a system he’s convinced was set up to crush creativity – BVDLVD has paved his way from discovering the raw Trap Metal of XXXTENTACION, Ghostemane, Night Lovell and $uicideboy$ to becoming a Trap Metal prodigy himself in the UK’s underground scene. From there, he’s continued to push his creativity to the point of being a post-genre mastermind – and his new album ‘ABSENCE’ is here to prove it.
Dropping out of college to teach himself to record vocals and mix tracks, BVDLVD began his underground revolution by fusing the distorted Trap coming out of the US with underground UK rave culture. Mixing up anger, humour, energy and bass to create a unique, explosive new style that refuses simple categorisation, he debuted a system-crashing noise set to empower outsiders and misfits worldwide.
Whilst taking his fans (and haters) firmly under his wing, BVDLVD has also been propelling the UK’s underground Trap scene into a globally renowned phenomenon, working tirelessly to ramp up the charge of a new generation of artists and fans. From co-founding the UK crew LOVE SEPT. alongside fellow innovative MCs HEN$HAW and V.RI, to gaining global traction via collaborations with Russian producer CVRBI, German producer Pulse and USA frontrunners Lil Darkie and SPIDER GANG (including a collaboration series coined DARKLAD and a European tour with Lil Darkie). BVDLVD’S Alt family was widened further via festival spots at ALT+LDN festival and Kendal Calling festival, as well as a slot supporting WARGASM at Lost Horizon Bristol (the venue run by the team behind Glastonbury’s Shangri-La).
It’s BVDLVD’s unquenchable appetite for surpassing his personal bests and building a positive community with those who relate to his music that’s seen him go so far as an independent artist. BVDLVD has ensured that fans can experience every step of his rise in the industry with him directly via online communities such as Discord as well as live YouTube premieres of his self-directed videos (which have since racked up upwards of 10M views combined). An artist with a big heart and a deeply personable approach to his fans and haters alike, BVDLVD revealed one special instance of turning online hate and trolling into love and friendship in the YouTube Originals documentary Terms & Conditions: Deeper Than Drill. This saw thousands awe-inspired by his kindness-first approach when a clip of the documentary went viral on TikTok.
