Written by Jaydn Reti (Vocals/Writing)
“Speak Slow” feels emotionally heavy but restrained at the same time. When you were writing it, did you know straight away it would live in that slower, more spacious space, or did it evolve into that mood?
I definitely knew it would be a slower song. From the very first verse I wrote, that was apparent. However, I had no idea how moody — and, should I say, desperate — it would end up feeling. Like writing any song, it’s almost always an evolution, so you could say it naturally grew into that eventual vibe.
The song explores power imbalance and creeping self-doubt in a relationship. Was that drawn from experience, or more a reflection on patterns you’ve observed over time?
A little bit of both. Most people have had a relationship fall apart at some point. For me, this song came from observing people close to me, but I definitely drew from my own experiences to shape the emotional delivery and lyricism. A lot of it also came from asking myself the age-old question: how would it feel to be in someone else’s shoes?
There’s a real sense of tension in the track — like it’s holding something back. Was that dynamic intentional in the arrangement, or did it naturally come through as the song developed?
The feeling of a track is always quite organic for me. I’ve found that when I try to force a topic, issue, or emotion, the music suffers for it. I’m not a fan of forcing anything. Writing with intent and purpose is important, but it just doesn’t seem to work if I overthink it. Funnily enough, the real meaning behind our songs is often revealed to me toward the end of the writing process. It’s a quirky way of working, but it seems to suit me.
You worked with Jackson Deasy on production. What did he bring to “Speak Slow” that maybe pushed the song further than you originally imagined?
Jackson is so integral to everything Garden Eyes do, and we’re incredibly grateful. He actually co-wrote this one with me, as well as our last release, “Fever Dream.” I had the bones of the song written — rhythm guitar, bass, melodies, and lyrics — before recording, but before we touched any of that, he took me through a detailed pre-production process. He wrote the drums, added additional guitars, and developed backing vocals. Without Jackson, the songs would still exist, but they’d feel incomplete. He really helped round out our sound.
You’ve already pulled over 120,000 streams across just three tracks, which is impressive for a band still early on. Has that early support changed your mindset at all, or are you still approaching things the same way?
It’s definitely encouraging to see people connecting with what we’re putting out. It has shifted our mindset in a positive way — our goals were quite small at the beginning. With the recent support, we’ve been motivated to push further and aim higher. That said, we’re still approaching things the same way: stay professional, tight live, and consistent. We’re just setting our sights a little higher now.
Supporting Bloom and Avoid on their recent Australian run must have been a big moment. What did you take away from those shows that’s sticking with you now?
It was a huge confidence boost. Everyone involved was incredible, and it confirmed that this is something we’re serious about. Getting two support slots instead of the usual one was also a great experience. It allowed us to notice patterns playing different rooms to similar crowds. At both shows, almost nobody knew who we were. By the end of our set, we had people coming up to us saying they loved our sound and were going to check us out — something our ‘For Artists’ stats backed up afterwards. We’re definitely hoping for another opportunity like that.
There’s a clear emo and post-alternative thread running through your sound. Who were the bands that first made you want to start Garden Eyes?
Citizen and Movements were huge for me when I first started writing. I remember watching the 2017 YouTube video of Movements at Chain Reaction over and over, thinking, “This is what I want to do.” Over time, artists like Paramore, Normandie, and The Story So Far helped shape our sound, but Citizen and Movements were the original spark.
On triple j Unearthed you’ve drawn comparisons to artists within that modern emo space. Do you feel aligned with that lane, or are you already thinking about stretching into something different?
Modern emo definitely feels like our roots. At least for the first record, I think that’s where our sound will sit. Beyond that, it’s hard to say. We’d love to break further into the indie rock scene, but I don’t think that would drastically change our core sound. Music is always evolving. For now, our first record — and probably the one after that — will live in this space. Anything beyond that, I can’t make promises.
Your songs feel emotionally direct — there’s no hiding behind abstract lyrics. Is vulnerability something that comes naturally to you, or does it take intention every time?
It’s interesting because during the writing process, I never felt like there was anything particularly vulnerable about it. It wasn’t something I considered until I started sharing the songs. I’ve always loved emotionally rich music, so that’s what I wanted to create. Even though the lyrics are vulnerable, I’ve rarely felt afraid to share them. There’s something almost dissociative about expressing emotions through art. I suppose that means it comes naturally to me.
With momentum building, are you thinking about a larger body of work, or are you enjoying letting each single exist in its own world for now?
For now, we’re happy rolling out singles. Of course we’d love to release an EP or album — that’s the dream. But the current music landscape doesn’t always support that pathway early on. If we build more momentum, a larger body of work is definitely possible. Until then, we’re focused on consistent releases and getting in front of as many people as we can.
