Extending the story via complex depths regarding the relationship at its heart, Bad Bubble‘s EP This Is For Us brings forth a whole new side to the creative and thoughtful artist.
Where Underscore introduced an eclectic and captivating series of tracks, This Is For Us delivers just four distinctly passionate alternatives, and offers a boldly emotional, melodically enchanting venture in the process.
Featuring stunning vocals throughout its opening track alone, This Is For Underscore follows a uniquely wandering piano-part and retro programmed drums, as our protagonist calls out with soulful conviction on behalf of the longing and mistakes of the past.
The sound leans a little towards Genesis unexpectedly, the sheer energy of that piercing delivery and connection to the topic at hand. It’s a fearlessly unorthodox start, and perfectly in line with all that we’ve learned about Bad Bubble from the previously uninhibited project.
Versatility remains essential, and I follows with a shoe-gaze arena-rock fullness and softer vocal thread – simple short lines to contrast the freestyle outpouring of the former. A touch of brightness, inspiring sentiments and images, all help lighten the mood. Meanwhile a sweeping landscape of sound-design again lines up with the wave-like rise and fall of much of Bad Bubble’s chord-work and production.
Us later blends the two vocal styles amidst a fusion of details, industrial rhythms and piano – short lines and passionately drawn-out statements, with a quiet resolve to ‘all day long’ that helps ground things within a more familiar territory. As ever, the energy and intensity rises throughout, before falling away into softness and theatrical wonder for a dreamy and reflective outro.
The final song of the EP is This Is For Anna, a notably more bold presentation of striking keys and distant, almost other-worldly vocals – perhaps wishing for the loudness of the music to connect more strongly as the vocals adopt a certain shyness in their revelation, heartbreak and vulnerability.
Throughout the entire post six-minute composition, Bad Bubble forever balances a sense of cinematic vastness with that of quiet contemplation. It’s an ambient realm, meditative to a degree, but it’s also an arena-ready indie anthem that aches to be witnessed in a huge and mildly-reverberating setting.
Unreleased on most major platforms, This Is For Us unequivocally delivers upon the implications of its title. The project means far too much to its creator to simply become the backing music for a stranger’s day. You can find all four tracks on Soundcloud only.
Download or stream This Is For Us here or follow Bad Bubble on Instagram & check out our in-depth interview.
