Poppin’ Off – Bedroom Pop

Bedroom pop is a genre that’s pretty hard to define, but it usually refers to pop on the more alternative end of the spectrum, or pop music created in a DIY fashion. As it’s often overlooked in favour of more commercial styles, I decided it was high time to dive into the genre – hopefully you’ll be able to find your new favourite band/artist here!

By Jane Howkins

Ancient History – Clementines

Pittsburgh artist Ancient History fits the themes of the bedroom pop genre well, as new track Clementines has the exact sound I was going for when I created this review! It’s quite a busy sounding track, seeing a number of instruments cross across each other in an experimental style. It’s the sort of song you’ll need to listen to a few times over to appreciate, but it’s well worth a go, as there’s a lot of nice moments to discover here. The vocal harmonies are pretty lush too, carrying through the majority of the tune.

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Otlo – Sweet Nothings

Sweet Nothings is a gorgeous piece of music crafted by Otlo. It’s a true definition of the term bedroom pop, as it was recorded in a bedroom closet. Nevertheless, the production sounds awesome here, seeing Otlo also introduce a dream-pop vibe into the tune. The drum machine beats along steadily in the background – it’s fairly minimalist, but it does the job well. The rest of the instrumentation comes from a lovely array of synths and keyboard melodies, underpinning the yearning vocals with great style.

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Kyss på halsen – Dive

Kyss på halsen is a Scandinavian shoegaze trio, but I also felt their track Dive (taken from new EP Night wanderer) belonged here too. It’s certainly a pop song, utilising some impressive synths and instrumentation, showing these guys are clearly headed for the big time! The drums sound absolutely huge in the background, echoing nicely against the rest of the music. The vocals are absolutely stunning too, adding even more to the dreamy sound. It’s the sort of track you’ll need to listen to a few times over to appreciate everything, but it’s well worth your time!

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Princess Liv – On The Line

On The Line might just be my favourite song on this list! It’s a catchy pop song created by singer-songwriter Princess Liv, harking back to the glory days of 80s pop, whilst also including elements of the more modern bedroom pop genre. The verses are fairly mellow when compared to the choruses, which explode with energy and light. The main chord sequence is melancholic yet beautiful, as the synths underpin the vocals in glorious style. Princess Liv really does have a fantastic singing voice, and it’s a crying shame her music isn’t more well known!

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The Bay Window Press – Mr Speaker (The Pocket Mix)

Next up is The Bay Window Press with Mr Speaker (The Pocket Mix), taken from their short EP, The Barry Starr Takeover Pt. 1. It’s another fairly unique sounding song, mixing elements of pop, rock, indie and electronica into one cool package. The beat is fairly steady throughout, with some awesome guitar riffs breaking free every so often. It’s an incredibly groovy piece of work, getting straight under your skin and making you want to dance on the very first listen. The vocals are a bit distant, but they actually work really well with the style of music on offer here.

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AC Peer – Phoebe’s Bridger

American act AC Peer has created something quite mellow sounding on the interestingly titled track, Phoebe’s Bridger. It’s a really chilled-out song, sounding as much like a soul song as a bedroom pop tune. The music is undeniably funky, with some nice little piano and guitar motifs present against the drums and bass. The vocals aren’t the strongest in the world, but they do work surprisingly well with the music, fitting the soulful pop vibes well. The more you listen to it, the more it grows on you, so why not give Phoebe’s Bridger a chance below?!

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CAVN – Pure & Grey

Pure & Grey is another soulful bedroom pop song, created by CAVN and also featuring Stefan Kelk. It’s a really beautiful sounding track at times – the piano and orchestral elements are gorgeous, seeing CAVN utilise some intriguing sounding synth melodies here. The beat kicks in after a while, turning the track from a melancholic singer-songwriter tune into more of an EDM-pop track, really mixing things up nicely. The vocals are absolutely stunning too, only adding to the haunting vibe of the tune.

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Floss Jordan – 2 Roads

Last, but by no means least, is Floss Jordan with her new single release, 2 Roads. It’s more of a stripped-down track than some of the others listed here, opening with just a few keyboard chords and Floss’ wonderful vocal stylings. However, her voice is really powerful, automatically uplifting the music and turning it into something truly wondrous. The rhythm section and synths kick in properly after a while, buzzing along in glorious style in the background, adding more layers to this lovely piece of music.

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