Mental health takes center stage as the most talked about topic in today’s generation. It has become a major theme in popular culture, particularly in music. As our society becomes open-minded in tackling mental health as a social issue, many musicians continue to break down the stigma. Through music, artists have found a way to foster awareness and acceptance on issues such as depression, anxiety, and grief. For multi-genre duo band ArkType, mental health conversations take place not only in their interviews but also in their songs.
In 2018, leadman Jason Bischoff and drummer Isaac Steven decided to create good music that doesn’t fit in a box. Both hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah, the duo wants their songs to be embedded with valuable messages like depression and mental illness, which are rarely tackled. Throughout their discography, the band never fails to put importance on the issue of mental health. In every song, one message stays clear: life can be hard, painful, and traumatic, but there is always a reason to stay alive. This is the message the duo wants to instill in their listeners.
Fast forward to today, the songs of ArkType have reached a wider audience. In just a span of two years, they were able to organically create a loyal community of fans that prioritizes connection, fosters a sense of community, and promotes mental health awareness. Unlike many other artists out there, Jason and Isaac do not identify within one specific genre. Instead, they incorporate tons of different genres, such as rap, reggae, metal, punk, rock, classic rock, acoustic, hardcore, and EDM. It may sound unconventional; however, the duo found a way to harmonize all genres while creating their own distinct sound. “It’s fun. It never gets boring. Both Isaac and I are passionate about numerous styles of music, so we love to bring it all,” Jason remarked.
ArkType is grateful enough to have a platform where they can showcase their talents and give support to teens and young adults who are having a hard time in life. Dealing with mental health issues themselves, both have turned to songwriting and music composition as their creative outlets. In an interview, Jason said, “we want our music to feel relatable and act as a comfort, escape, and empowerment tool for people to turn to instead of turning to harmful alternatives like drugs, violence, or self-harm.”
What sets ArkType from the rest is not only their unique sound, rather the close-knit relationships they built with their fanbase. The duo knows for the fact that battling mental illness is alienating enough. In the hopes to bridge this gap, Jason and Isaac have dedicated themselves to resonate a sense of familiarity and echo a glimmer of hope in their songs to their audience. Recently, ArkType launched a new song called “Sweater Weather” which explicitly addresses seasonal depression.
As the band constantly reminds their listeners, “there are better days ahead.” Make sure to check them out on their linktree to get the latest updates from their social media accounts.
