Bdrmm - I Don’t Know

Shoegaze – June 30, 2023 – 8 songs, 41 mins

LUNDI

Over the last few years, there has been a noticeable shift in the mainstream love of rock rooted music. It may not show up on the billboard charts or your local radio station but festival crowds, ticket sales, and billings show that bands are on an upward trajectory. It will never, and probably shouldn’t, sway all the way back to the 90’s where pure rock groups ruled the day, but nearly every up and coming artist today is intertwining rock basics with pop melodies and electronic elements and it’s paying off in spades. The playing field with rap, pop, and EDM is levelling back off and it’s absolutely deserved. Push the envelope and people can’t help but notice. This week we bring you British band Bdrmm (pronounced Bedroom) who do just that with their sophomore album I Don’t Know. 

Lovers of any rock music before the millennium will likely shutter at the thought that music as dreamy as Bdrmm can be consider rock, but life doesn’t stay stagnant and neither should music. As genres blossom more and more bands find creative new ways of showing their artistic ability. In the case of Bdrmm they find the perfect middle ground of the overlapping genres of Shoegaze and Dream Pop. There’s limited distortion and the vocals are clear but the sound is more organically developed than engineered and individual songs have their own distinct sound. No one will criticize for lumping them in one or the other bucket, but the line is there and Bdrmm fall right on it.  They’ve located the perfect middle ground within two rock sub-genres fighting for more room in the proverbial spotlight. 

Out of the gates Bdrmm pull no punches with Alps, setting the table for the listener with a 2.5 minute interlude that shows off every element you are to expect for the next 40 minutes. Gorgeous synth effects, slick bass lines, spacey electronic drum patterns, and perfectly timed guitar riffs. As frontman Ryan Smith’s effortless and precise vocal takes hold, the bands soundscape is complete, setting the stage for a truly mesmerizing musical experience. 

The album cascades from there into an intertwined mixture of beauty and darkness,  chaos and optimism, masterfully taking the listener on a fantasy joyride that is curated with surprises and musical shifts. From the ruckus It’s Just a Bit of Blood through to The grungy Pulling Stitches the album feels seamless yet distinct. Concocted with a message of hope and gratitude and a grand understanding of the beauty that can lie beneath it all, it’s clear the band have the utmost confidence where their sights are set. I Don’t Know is filled with the intricate, layered with tedious minuscule moments that combine into something so big yet so peaceful. I’d say the sky is the limit for Bdrmm but they’ve already successfully transported me to a whole new world. 

Bdrmm’s I Don’t Know is a sonically beautiful collection that intertwines life’s darkness and cautious optimism with masterfully curated dream pop soundscapes resulting in one of 2023’s best albums.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Favourite Song: It’s Just A Bit Of Blood

ROZ

As I’ve said in past reviews, the boundaries for musical genres are meant to be crossed; the exploration into the unknown beyond the norm, while sometimes carrying risk, can carry much reward for an artist or band looking to break out of their respective mold. Look no further than this week’s review, British shoegaze band Bdrmm and their second outing I Don’t Know. Initially started as a simple bedroom music project (hence the name), the brotherly duo of Ryan and Jordan Smith come together with friends Joe Vickers, Conor Murray, and producer Alex Greaves to bring the bedroom to the mainstage. Fresh off their critical acclaimed debut album Bedroom, I Don’t Know sees itself as the answer to the age-old music question: is this group a flash in the pan or are they the real deal?

Right out of the gate, I Don’t Know flexes its might with introductory song Alps; shoegaze sensibilities at its core yet further accentuated by its up tempo beat, melodic bassline and flickering synthesized top lines. Vocal chops are layered upon the main vocal arrangement to flesh out the chorus of the track, with drum fills being used to the same effect. Digital elements and analog elements interlink to combine the organic sound of a four-piece band with the savviness of modern production techniques and the nostalgia of a retro aesthetic. This is emphasized on tracks such as We Fall Apart and Hidden Camera, songs which also display a clever alternating of both real drumming and digital drum machines by skilled drummer Luke Irvin, an additional creative layer. The haunting qualities of singer Ryan Smith are amplified by the nature of his lyrics, lyrics that paint the picture an individual tormented with anxiety, regret, lost love, and confusion about where their life may be heading.

A large part of my enjoyment of I Don’t Know’s comes about through its melodies. Catchy guitar riffs and ear-pleasing chords are used to drive the track list from top to bottom, whether on the higher energy tracks or the slower burns. For the latter, look no further than the stripped-down, instrumental only, ambient nature of Advertisement One or direct your attention to Be Careful – a downtempo mix of lightly picked guitar, string arrangements and ethereal, washed-out vocals by the very talented frontman Smith. A more rock-based approach is shown throughout It’s Just a Bit of Blood, a track that feels tailor-made for the live stage experience. Bdrmm caps the album with a dreamlike finale in A Final Movement, a beautiful eight-minute mountain climb that brings the band back to the core roots of their sound.

I Don’t Know stretches beyond the boundaries of shoegaze and delivers and experience that is sure to leave an impression on the listener. Bdrmm displays their versatility as artists while highlighting that the infusion of pop and reverb-soaked rock could very well be the sound of the future mainstream.

Overall Rating: 8.4/10

Favourite Song: We Fall Apart

REID

If you asked me two years ago to define shoegaze, I’d have probably guessed it was a designer footwear company. Fast forward to present day and it’s a term I’m using monthly to describe music. Type it in google and you get two recurring responses. One referring to a dreamy musical movement in the late 80’s in the UK and another describing it as musicians staring at their shoes while performing. The latter makes me feel dumb for not thinking of it on my own. The former suits the subject of this week’s review rather well. I Don’t Know is the second studio album from the four man band out of the UK called bdrmm. They remain a relative unknown but their secret may not last much longer.

The first and maybe the most important recommendation I have for this record is to crank up the volume. You could say that with just about all music but it’s critical to capture and appreciate the intricacies of bdrmm’s sound. The groove from the bass often steals the show (Be Careful and Pulling Stitches). The guitar work ranges from pure rock riffs (It’s Just A Bit of Blood) to satisfying melodies (Hidden Cinema). The synth work consistently creates memorable soundscapes and they mix in a beautiful piano-led instrumental that soothes the soul (Advertisement One). I’d love to see it adapted to a video or film of some sort. Front man Ryan Smith gave the band its name because they were created in a bedroom. His episode of Cribswould have legitimate use of the catchphrase ‘where the magic happens’.

By now it’s no secret this vocal style is not my cup of tea. Despite that, bdrmm does an excellent job maintaining engagement, especially through the first five songs. The music is so creative and fresh and the band does well to decelerate to match Ryan’s slow, drawn out delivery. The best example of this is It’s Just A Bit of Blood which effectively speeds up and slows down for a cool combination of sounds. It’s always tough to snuff out the personal thoughts completely and I can’t help but wonder what a fresh take on vocals would do for this music. With that said, this may be the first of this dreampop style I will keep in rotation and truly look forward to seeing what they do moving forward.

Turn up the volume and immerse yourself in the introspective experience that is bdrmm. I Don’t Knowhas a rich sound with its tidy blend of shoegaze rock from its melodic guitar, groovy bass and layered synth. It’s a unique sound coupled with dream pop-style vocals.

Overall Rating: 7.6/10

Favourite Song: Be Careful