Origami Angel

{{Short description|American rock band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Origami Angel | image = Origami Angel at Webster Hall.jpg | caption = Origami Angel performing at Webster Hall in November 2024 | origin = Washington DC, U.S | years_active = 2016–present | genre = {{flatlist| * Emo<ref name="BVTBD"/><ref name="altPFav"/> * Easycore * indie rock<ref name="PFSC"/><ref name="kotaku"/> * pop punk<ref name="ExclaimTBD"/> }} | label = {{hlist|Chatterbot|Counter Intuitive}} | current_members = Ryland Heagy<br>Pat Doherty }}

'''Origami Angel''' is an American rock band from Washington D.C., consisting of singer and guitarist Ryland Heagy and drummer Pat Doherty. The duo formed the band in 2016 after the demise of a common prior band, and released a series of EPs leading up to their debut studio album, ''Somewhere City'' in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic limited the ability to tour in support of the album, so they instead focused on recording material written during the prior sessions to release their second studio album, ''Gami Gang'' in 2021, and wrote and recorded further material for a series of smaller releases, including a mixtape, ''The Brightest Days'', released in 2023. A third studio album, ''Feeling Not Found'', was released on September 27, 2024.

==History== ===Formation and early EPs (2016–2018)=== Band members Ryland Heagy and Pat Doherty first met in late 2015.<ref name="Origins">{{cite web |last1=Larios |first1=Alexander |title=Interview: Origami Angel |url=https://merrygoroundmagazine.com/interview-origami-angel/ |website=Merry-Go-Round Magazine |date=July 11, 2019 |access-date=June 7, 2021}}</ref> Doherty had been drumming for a local band named RYK, and after attending a performance and being impressed, Heagy and a friend asked Doherty to join their band Idle Empire, which he accepted.<ref name="Origins"/> The band had struggled to retain a consistent drummer, and were excited to have a dedicated one in Doherty, but just as Heagy had written some material to record over the course of a few months, the band broke up.<ref name="Origins"/> Instead, Heagy chose to record the material as a duo with Doherty, and started the band "Origami Angel".<ref name="Origins"/> Heagy handled vocals, guitars, and bass, and Doherty played drums.<ref name="EarlyR"/> Early recording sessions were tough due to their busy schedules - both worked full-time to help finance the recording process, while Doherty attended school.<ref name="EarlyR"/> In addition to this, the duo agreed early on to emphasize a "DIY ethic" where they do as much of the work on the albums as possible.<ref name="EarlyR">{{Cite web |date=June 9, 2021 |title=Origami Angel on the DIY Recording of "Gami Gang" |url=https://reverb.com/news/origami-angel-interview |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=reverb.com |language=en}}</ref> Both pooled all of the income into the band, while Heagy wrote material whenever time was found between work and other life obligations.<ref name="EarlyR"/>

Their first EP, ''Quiet Hours'', was released in April 2017.<ref name="WVAU">{{cite web |last1=Shelton |first1=Emily |title=DC's New Emo Sweethearts, Origami Angel |url=https://wvau.org/3737/archives/dcs-new-emo-sweethearts-origami-angel/ |publisher=WVAU |access-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref> The band toured locally in support of the EP for a short period, but eventually paused to focus on school.<ref name="Origins"/> They returned to recording, and the following year, released a second EP, titled ''Doing The Most''.<ref name="newnoisemagazine">{{cite web |last1=Shrum |first1=Tony |title=Album Stream: Origami Angel – Doing the Most |date=July 5, 2018 |url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/stream-origami-angel-doing-most/ |publisher=New Noise Magazine |access-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Origins"/> While ''Quiet Hours'' had a softer, more stripped-down sound, ''Doing the Most'' saw the band discover their guitar-heavy pop punk sound found in subsequent releases.<ref name="Origins"/><ref name="WVAU"/>

===''Somewhere City'' and ''Gami Gang'' (2019–2021)=== After the completion of their first 2 EPs, the band continued to record music for a series of releases throughout 2019. The duo wrote a large volume of material, but limited finances caused them to break up the releases into three main parts - two small ones that would be used to build momentum into releasing their first studio album.<ref name="EarlyR"/> First, in early 2019, was a split EP with the band Commander Salamander titled ''Holy Split'', consisting of two new songs from the band.<ref name="EarlyR"/> Second, on May 30, 2019, the band released their third EP, ''Gen 3''.<ref name="kotaku">{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Gita |title=Indie Band Shows Their Pokémon Love In New Release |date=May 20, 2019 |url=https://kotaku.com/indie-band-shows-their-pokemon-love-in-new-release-1834893649 |publisher=Kotaku |access-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref> The EP's title is an allusion to the third generation of games in the ''Pokémon'' series of video games.<ref name="kotaku"/> The song's lyrical content is not necessarily about ''Pokémon'' - the song "Ruby" was even originally called "Sophie" and intended for the ''Holy Split'' EP.<ref name="Origins"/><ref name="kotaku"/> However, there are allusions to the series, and all of the songs' titles are references to ''Pokémon'' games - "Ruby" for ''Pokémon Ruby'', "Sapphire" for ''Pokémon Sapphire'', "Emerald" for ''Pokémon Emerald'', and "XD Gale of Darkness" for ''Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness''.<ref name="kotaku"/><ref name="EarlyR"/> The two chose the subject matter as a "love letter" to the series, with it being important to both of their childhoods, and something they bonded over as band members.<ref name="kotaku"/><ref name="Origins"/>

The band next turned to completing their debut album. Heagy continued to write material any time he had free time from his 50-hour a week job, and would present it to Doherty when he would return from being away from college.<ref name="EarlyR"/> After a few months, Heagy realized that he had accumulated over 35 rough song ideas; knowing they could only finance a single album for their debut, the duo split the material into two main groups.<ref name="EarlyR"/> They separated 15 of the strongest songs of a similar thematic and conceptual nature to create their debut album, and the remaining 20 were left for a potential future album of more varying musical stylings.<ref name="EarlyR"/> The material kept for the debut album were themed around the concept of their ideal utopia, countering the typically negative lyrical content found in emo music with more positive content, and allusions to the pop culture of their childhood and past.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/origami_angel-somewhere_city|title=Origami Angel Somewhere City &#124; Exclaim!}}</ref><ref name="BCInt">{{Cite web |date=June 20, 2023 |title=Origami Angel Broke Emo |url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/origami-angel-interview |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=Bandcamp Daily}}</ref> The resulting album, ''Somewhere City'' was released on November 15, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=December 1, 2019 |title=Concept albums like 'To Pimp a Butterfly' and 'Blurryface' are saving music listeners The Commonwealth Times |url=https://commonwealthtimes.org/2019/12/01/concept-albums-like-to-pimp-a-butterfly-and-blurryface-are-saving-music-listeners/,%20https://commonwealthtimes.org/2019/12/01/concept-albums-like-to-pimp-a-butterfly-and-blurryface-are-saving-music-listeners/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=commonwealthtimes.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

The album was well received by music publications, with the band beginning to get recognition beyond their local scene. ''Pitchfork'' described ''Somewhere City'' as "[embodying] the sound of emo in 2019",<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web |last1=Cohen |first1=Ian |title=Origami Angel: Somewhere City |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/origami-angel-somewhere-city/ |publisher=Pitchfork |access-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref> and the ''Chicago Reader'' asserted it "set the tone for emo's next decade" and was "one of the best emo albums of 2019".<ref name="chicagoreader">{{cite web |last1=Galil |first1=Leor |title=Origami Angel help set the tone for emo's next decade with Somewhere City |date=January 10, 2020 |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/origami-angel-help-set-the-tone-for-emos-next-decade-with-somewhere-city/Content?oid=76966111 |publisher=Chicago Reader |access-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref> The band toured for approximately three months in support of the release, with Heagy noting that the band began playing bigger venues with higher enthusiasm after its release.<ref name="EarlyR"/><ref name="Stereo1"/> While the COVID-19 pandemic halted touring, the band continued to livestream performances.<ref name="Stereo1"/> In place of a canceled live show at Bowling Green's Summit Shack, the band livestreamed a concert through the video game ''Minecraft''.<ref name="Stereo1">{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2021 |title=Gami Gang: Emo Rising Stars Origami Angel On Their Ambitious New Double Album |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2145336/origami-angel-gami-gang/interviews/qa/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}</ref> Attendance was so high that it crashed the servers, leading to the live EP release, ''Origami Angel Broke Minecraft''.<ref name="Stereo1"/>

With the band's newfound success, but inability to tour, they focused on developing a follow-up album.<ref name="Stereo1"/> They developed the diverse material set aside from the ''Somewhere City'' sessions. The duo had recorded 20 demo songs and had a rough outline for the album around the time of ''Somewhere City's'' release.<ref name="EarlyR"/><ref name="Stereo1"/> Heagy described the album's music direction as "half ''Somewhere City 2'' and half "experimental...<nowiki>[</nowiki>The Smashing Pumpkins<nowiki>]</nowiki> ''Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness'' if the songs were about 60% as long".<ref name="Stereo1"/> Heagy noted that he knew that the album would likely be interpreted to be about the COVID-19 pandemic, but was entirely written prior to it in 2019, and was only recorded during the pandemic.<ref name="EarlyR"/><ref name="Stereo1"/> On March 25, 2021, the band announced their sophomore double-album ''Gami Gang'', releasing the lead single "Neutrogena Spektor" the following day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/origami-angel-announce-new-double-album-gami-gang/|title = Origami Angel announce new double album 'Gami Gang," share two new songs| date=March 26, 2021 }}</ref> ''Gami Gang'' released on April 30, 2021, with reviewers generally believing they had released a very different, yet equally good, album as ''Somewhere City''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Abby |title=Origami Angel: Gami Gang|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/origami-angel-gami-gang/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=June 7, 2021}}</ref> ''Exclaim!'' concluded that "With so much happening, it's inevitably not as musically or thematically concise and poignant as ''Somewhere City''... [but ''Gami Gang'' is] like a room full of toys: You can pick up wherever you want and play for as long as you like, and you're bound to end up with a smile on your face."<ref name="ExclaimGG"/> Post-release, the band spoke of touring in support, but only sparingly when and where it was deemed safe for people to be together during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name="Stereo1"/>

===Further EPs and ''The Brightest Days'' (2022–2023)=== On September 30, 2022, the band surprise-released a new, three song EP, ''Re: Turn'', followed by a second three song EP, ''Depart'', four days later.<ref name="BVEPs">{{Cite web |last=Sacher |first=Andrew|date=October 3, 2022 |title=Stream Origami Angel's surprise hardcore EP 'DEPART' |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/stream-origami-angels-surprise-hardcore-ep-depart/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=BrooklynVegan |language=en}}</ref> The releases showed even further extremes for the band's sound than illustrated in ''Gami Gang''.<ref name="Consequence2EP">{{Cite web |last=Krueger |first=Jonah |date=October 3, 2022 |title=Origami Angel surprise-release two EPs, share Origins of new song "JUDGE": Exclusive |url=https://consequence.net/2022/10/origami-angel-depart-judge-origins/ |access-date=March 5, 2023 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="BVEPs"/> With ''Re: Turn'', the band explored a stripped down, mellow sound of acoustic guitars and drum machine that was created to sound like "coffee shop friendly indie pop".<ref name="BCInt"/><ref name="Paste2223"/> ''Depart'', on the other hand, consisted of three songs in a frantic, dissonant hardcore music style.<ref name="Consequence2EP"/><ref name="Paste2223"/> The two had been recorded in secrecy during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The duo had always planned on recording some more mellow content found in ''Re: Turn'', and ''Depart'' was recorded as a counterpoint to the release, as both a way to make sure their ideas for heavier music were not wasted, and as an outlet of their frustrations and fears about the COVID pandemic.<ref name="Consequence2EP"/>

On June 16, 2023, the band released a mixtape ''The Brightest Days''.<ref name="Paste2223">{{Cite web |title=Origami Angel's The Brightest Days is a Quick, Joyous Ride |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/origami-angel/the-brightest-days-review |access-date=June 19, 2023 |website=Paste Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 14, 2023 |title=Mixtape Review: Origami Angel - 'The Brightest Days' |url=https://www.getalternative.com/mixtape-review-origami-angel-the-brightest-days/ |access-date=June 19, 2023 |website=The Alternative |language=en}}</ref> The release had been written during the initial 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, and later revisited and recorded in August 2022.<ref name="Cons23">{{Cite web |last=Vito |first=Jo |date=May 17, 2023 |title=Origami Angel announce new mixtape, unveil single "My PG County Summer": Stream |url=https://consequence.net/2023/05/origami-angel-pg-county-summer-stream/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}</ref> The release sees the duo grappling with the loss of summers of their youth, something they specifically felt with the lockdowns.<ref name="WPOA">{{Cite news |last=Solano |first=Sophia |date=July 5, 2023 |title=Origami Angel wrote your East Coast summer anthem, and it's pretty emo |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2023/07/05/dc-origami-angel-concert/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Unlike prior releases, where they would take songs to create a theme, with ''The Brightest Days'', they started with the theme, and then wrote songs around it.<ref name="WPOA"/> The album's uncommon length of 22 minutes across 8 songs - longer than an EP but shorter than a typical traditional studio album - lead the band to label it a mixtape instead.<ref name="WPOA"/> Like their prior albums, the mixtape was well-received, with ''Paste'' concluding that "these eight songs that are over as quickly as they begin. But that's a vital part of the appeal. What's fleeting can also be memorable."<ref name="Paste2223"/> The band embarked on an international tour following its release, including North America, the United Kingdom, and Japan.<ref name="WPOA"/>

===''Feeling Not Found'' (2024–present)=== In May 2024, the band released a new single, "Fruit Wine", ahead of their North American tour with alternative rock band Microwave.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.altpress.com/origami-angel-fruit-wine-listen/ | title=Origami Angel share Will Yip-produced new song "Fruit Wine" | website=Alternative Press }}</ref> In July 2024, they released two further new songs and announced their third studio album, ''Feeling Not Found'' which was released September 27, 2024 on Counter Intuitive Records.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stereogum.com/2272712/origami-angel-dirty-mirror-selfie-where-blue-light-blooms/music/ | title=Origami Angel Announce New Album 'Feeling Not Found': Hear Two Songs | date=July 23, 2024 }}</ref> The album received Stereogum's "Album of the Week", while "Dirty Mirror Selfie" made the publication's top "Songs of the Year" list.<ref>https://www.stereogum.com/2281505/album-of-the-week-origami-angel-feeling-not-found/reviews/album-of-the-week/</ref><ref>https://www.stereogum.com/2289366/best-songs-staff-picks/lists/year-in-review/</ref> In September 2025, the duo released their first new music in a year, with the song "Back to Life", their contribution to their record label's tenth anniversary compilation album ''Cosmic Debris Vol. 2''.<ref>https://www.stereogum.com/2321577/origami-angel-back-to-life/music/</ref>

They will support Silverstein and Story of the Year on tour in 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-04-10 |title=14 New Rock + Metal Tours Announced This Past Week |url=https://loudwire.com/new-rock-metal-tours-announced-april-3-9-2026/ |access-date=2026-04-12 |website=Loudwire |language=en}}</ref>

==Musical style and influences== Origami Angel's style of rock music is often described as emo,<ref name="BVTBD">{{Cite web |last=Sacher |first=Andrew|date=May 17, 2023 |title=Origami Angel announce new mixtape 'The Brightest Days' (exclusive color vinyl & new song) |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/origami-angel-announce-new-mixtape-the-brightest-days-exclusive-color-vinyl-new-song/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=BrooklynVegan |language=en}}</ref><ref name="altPFav">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=June 16, 2023 |title=10 perfect summer emo songs, picked by Origami Angel |url=https://www.altpress.com/origami-angel-favorite-emo-songs/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=Alternative Press Magazine |language=en}}</ref> indie rock,<ref name="PFSC">{{Cite web |title=Origami Angel: Somewhere City |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/origami-angel-somewhere-city/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=pitchfork.com}}</ref><ref name="kotaku"/> pop punk,<ref name="ExclaimTBD">{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/amparticle/origami_angel_the_brightest_days_album_review|title=Origami Angel Master Economy and Energy on 'The Brightest Days'}}</ref> and easycore.<ref name="ExclaimGG">{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/origami_angel_gami_gang_album_review|title=Origami Angel's Easycore-Inspired 'GAMI GANG' Is Pure Joy &#124; Exclaim!}}</ref> They have been described as being part of the fifth wave of emo,<ref name="ExclaimGG"/> though Heagy has stated it is more accurate to label them as part of a hypothetical "second wave of easycore".<ref name="Stereo1"/>

Heagy cites influence from Barenaked Ladies, Yes, Prince Daddy & The Hyena, Weezer, Lil Uzi Vert, and fellow D.C. emo bands like The Obsessives.<ref name="Origins"/>

==Members== * Ryland Heagy – vocals, guitars, bass (2016–present) * Pat Doherty – drums (2016–present)

==Discography== '''Studio albums''' * ''Somewhere City'' (2019, Chatterbot Records) * ''Gami Gang'' (2021, Counter Intuitive Records) * ''Feeling Not Found'' (2024, Counter Intuitive Records)

'''Mixtapes''' * ''The Brightest Days'' (2023, Counter Intuitive Records)

'''EPs''' * ''Quiet Hours'' (2017, Chatterbot Records) * ''Doing the Most'' (2018, Chatterbot Records) * ''Holy Split'' (2019, Counter Intuitive Records, collaboration with Commander Salamander) * ''Gen 3'' (2019, Counter Intuitive Records) * ''Origami Angel Broke Minecraft'' (2020, Counter Intuitive Records, remix album) * ''Re: Turn'' (2022, Counter Intuitive Records) * ''Depart'' (2022, Counter Intuitive Records)

'''Singles''' * "Hey There" (2017) * "Mark My Words" (2017) * "24 Hr Drive-Thru" (2019) * "Doctor Whomst" (2019) * "Jazzy Whomst" (2020, charity single) * "Neutrogena Spektor" (2021) * "Greenbelt Station" (2021) * "Footloose Cannonball Brothers" (2021) * "Blanket Statement" (2021) * "Thank You, New Jersey" (2023) * "My PG County Summer" (2023) * "Fruit Wine" (2024) * "Dirty Mirror Selfie / Where Blue Light Blooms" (2024) * "Wretched Trajectory" (2024) * "Sixth Cents (Get It?) / secondgradefoofight" (2024)

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Origami Angel}}

Category:Musical groups from Washington, D.C. Category:Musical groups established in 2017 Category:Emo revival groups Category:American emo musical groups Category:American pop punk groups Category:Easycore musical groups