Bad Bubble’s ‘An Intricate Cacophony’ : A Nuanced New Wave Consciousness
Bad Bubble’s music is a sphere of energy, charged by philosophies of ambience, human experience and emotions. The artist is on a quest to demonstrate common place encounters as extrapolated versions that stretch into the ethereal, surreality, dark spaces, and even dissonance. And these distortions are parallel continuums to the central melodic themes. To watch them unravel simultaneously while also mingling is definitely a cerebral pleasure. His latest release is ‘An Intricate Cacophony’, a phenomenon that he explores in fifteen parts. The tracks tie into the titular theme in ways that both clarify it and expound it. Each composition seems to stretch the horizon, push the boundaries, and drive up thematic value.
Hey! Congratulations on the release of ‘An Intricate Cacophony’. What would you say is the driving style of the album and what are some of the sonic themes that you explored across the collection.
For sure! Thank you! With this one, my listeners were at the heart of it. So often I find myself lost in the weeds with all that is going on at the time. Keeping in mind the several hats artists must wear today, I wanted to simply say thank you. That said, I found an overall theme which brought the listeners I have to my door, and I really wanted to give them that. The very thing that peaked their interest in the first place. What better way to say thank you...you have DNA from my first album, Future 9 in songs like 2 on 1 and 86 on the Me. Especially in the lyrics. There's that sense of hopelessness. When you feel as if the only way to express this is by leaving or checking out. I wanted to convey this as so often an artist leaves a message of hope. That is what I believe my listeners do not understand. What hope is there in hopelessness? Zero. I wanted them to know that I know. We can be alone...together, if you will. Not everyone has good circumstances. In fact, not everyone has bad circumstances. Some have no circumstances to which to even build on. I know. I wanted them to know that I know. All too well. There is a line from the title track, an Introcate Cacophony, "I'll never look for, to anything, especially a glimpse of hope.." because we've been burned too many times to ever get to that place again. It's simply not worth it.Other songs like Lovefullness and Sliced Bongo offer the sounds and messsge of more later albums like album 5: All My Friends, and the new one I'm releasing, beginning August 23. It has the more synthesized, and far more rhythm centered style I think they enjoy.
The names assigned to the tracks are unique and specific. How do they tie into the overall theme/design/title of the track? And how do they help listeners appreciate the value of the sonic craft?
Something I hope, and I feel listeners have in fact picked up at this point, is most, not all, but most of my song titles are more humor driven. At times, have absolutely nothing to do with the lyrics or the songs. Sliced Bongo comes to mind. But again, 86 on the Me has everything to do with the hopelessness of the lyrics. 86 is a term used in Restaurants in the United States. If a cook in the kitchen says 86 on "tomato", this means they are completely out. 86 on the "me" means I am completely out, or out of anyones reach. So I suppose it's hit and miss. And for that I apologize. But know the titles really do not matter, just the song and the message, or lack thereof, are what is important.
In tracks like ‘Scintillating Noir’ and ‘Demure & Insular’, we see an extending use of neo-classicals blended with modern ambiences. It sets quite the mellow atmosphere, oozing into the space around us and cloaking us in its nebulous melodies. We see acoustic presentations, unpacked with blurry vocals and electronic sound and textures in tracks like ‘Sliced Bongo’, ‘Injinit’, ‘An Intricate Cacophony’, and ‘The Cruel Old Man’. They bear the lightness of acoustics elegantly alongside the whimsy and chaos of dissonance. It’s as if the spheres intricately refracts each other in miniscule, inexplicable ways. Like the ties of destiny.
What drove to conceive this album? Who/what inspired its creation and what do you want your listeners to pay attention to? What perspectives do you want them to see and take away from the listening experience?
In all honesty, I wanted my listeners to know they MUST rely on themselves. As I do. I have no one here with me to rely on so I must always be there for myself. What does that mean? It means think ahead. I have to work hard now to ensure I am going to be ok 5 weeks from now. Not just financially, but emotionally and physically as well. We can do that. 100% we can do that. We have to. When you have no one, you have no one to break the fall in any given situation. Another thing those who are not alone in life seem to never understand. It's real easy to say "don't give up" when you yourself are not and will never be in a situation where giving up is an attractive option. That in and of itself is a situation not to be taken lightly. To have no one there to break the fall...we have to respect that. I know this all too well. I can say with all honesty, you can break your own fall with self discipline and self motivation. It can and must be done. You have no other option. With Cacophony, this is the central message. Hopelessness is what it is. But it can be a state which has respect. Respect is cherishable.
There is a passing dissonance that you have infused into most of the tracks. And the word, ‘Cacophony’ is in the title as well. What about these asymmetries appealed to you and how do you think it adds to your artistic process and art form?
After some reflection, I find the answer will be tricky to explain. I ask this question in response. Do writers write to heard or to be understood and related to? When a rapper throws a hand sign, gang related or otherwise, not everyone understands it upon sight. But what that person is doing is sending out a gesture only certain people will pick up. Those in the know. I don't wish to be this exclusive, but it is in a sense the same thing. With sarcasm and mischief at its center, it offers a gesture to be sensed by those in the know. Like the terms "beautiful disaster" or "wonderful nuisance". It's a way to tip my hat to those who understand this style of communication. I hope that helps explain.
‘Lovefullness’ forms along a euphoric beatline. Dance-driven rhythms that fly with techno and house are disturbed by riff like tangents. The vocals, dipping in and out of autotune, crackles as if charged by a static electric current. The rock genre becomes a more dominant feature in ‘Abuse Your Walls’ as well.
Who are some of the artists that you listened to growing up and how did they inspire your music style and design today?
When asked this question, I'm always left wondering if I disappoint. What may sound hard to believe, I do not listen to music. I haven't in a very long time. I try not to let anyone through such an important door as to almost dictate what I do. Of course there are artists I was into as a kid. Prince being at the very top of that short list. The Shins and Joywave also in that list. But yes, I do not listen to much music. In my punk rock years, I listened to 3 bands exclusively. The Misfits, Sex Pistols & The Ramones. Thats it. And even they have little influence on what you hear now. Which I'm happy about. This way it's a little more organic.
When it comes to concept, emotion, intuition, and imagination, which one of these do you think plays more of a role in your song making and why?
All are vital. Every last one. But if forced to triage, I would say intuition. Your gut. Because if you betray that, you will never hear the end of it from yourself. And rightfully so. The others, concept, emotion, & imagination...can they not be wrong? Or at the very least subjective? But intuition is the one in this list which if wrong, you blame yourself and build moving forward. But if ignored....god help you! There is nothing worse then ignoring that which brings you
There’s so much variance, borrowing from the last and building on it. The artist showcases how the slightest tweak or simplest addition transforms the destiny of the track. Judging by tracks like ‘The Construction Workers’ or ‘Dots’ or The Latch, we see such great evocations of fluidity in art. To go wherever it drives you and make sense of it with intuition. Bad Bubble is definitely shaping up to be a pioneer for modern music in that he marries relatable frames to progressive and sophisticated ideas and ideologies. Listen Now!
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The album is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music!
You can listen to ‘An Intricate Cacophony’ by Bad Bubble here -
