AUDIOBULB – "Switches" compilation

There is life beneath the surface of this melodic music planet. Abundance of life. Multitude of colonies diverse in sounds, ideas and shapes span across the continents. Our focus is one little group of sound-forms, residing in an Audiobulb. Let the title of this paper be “Switches”.

When you overview this group, noticeable is next: every examined entity contributes to quality of compilation with it’s superb skill. Whether it is IDM, ambient, or a collection of microsounds, it simply fits perfectly as part of superb mechanism: you see Disastrato construct bionic insects in his ‘song’ of complicated name, or Claudia in far, dark corner whimpering in morbidly gripping ‘We lost him, but kept going’. Opposite stands Oti with superb combo of sounds of nature and electronics in ‘Large Open Spaces’. Yes, many different sounds blended into excellent compilation.

My personal interest reflects in Marion’s ‘Singalong Tammy’ with warm string instruments and Room’s ‘Your Open Face’: truly amazing soft melody wrapped in contrasting bleeps and glitching rhythms. Alike but different is a favourite: ‘Wishing A Disease’ by phenomenal Diagram Of Suburban Chaos. Unassuming, soft, elusive melody just travels through the air accompanied by simple beat and lively glitches.
Your field of further studying might be Build’s ‘A Development…’ which is an audio escape from independent film’s solemn atmosphere soundtrack… or any other creation from “Switches” – each has it’s own identity and shape. In an outside world, rules are to be like a proven form, from a template in order to succeed. Audiobulb’s constitution is opposite, and that is the biggest plus for this young electro-community based in Sheffield: I am amazed by ideas contained in these fourteen presented songs. Not that each and every one is shaped the way I like, but you can sense freedom of expression, creativity unbound by commercialism.

To get back from politics to music: I am far from an expert in field of IDM/ambient scene, but this compilation I immensely liked. It is superbly balanced and leveled (although diverse) with many outstanding ideas contained within interesting songs. Giving it an ADDICTION mark is truly a compromise: grading this kind of music is a risk, could be I missed the artist’s intentions, could be my audio mind is tuned to different frequencies. That is why I play safe: 8/10.

Enjoy “Switches”, enjoy Audiobulb’s exploratory electronics.