Post by Kayvee Sauvage on Jun 22, 2023 3:07:24 GMT -5
This is something I've been meaning to do for a while, but I got distracted by other things.
First, some background. "Kayvee Sauvage" is an alias I came up with for a prospective album project (tentatively titled ENDUIT DE SUCRE) that calls back to the sweet memories of my bubblegum-dance-colored youth. Problem is, all the good vibes in my life seemed to evaporate shortly after puberty, which is right when the genre was fading into the rearview, so those plans were scrapped. It's only in maturity, after slowly and tumultously working through several issues over a decade+, discovering who I really am (Happy Pride month y'all), and bringing people into my life who actually valued me instead of any convenient stripped-down idea of me – it's only after getting into that better place that I was able to think back on my encounters with bubblegum dance and see it in a more complete light.
I really think this is a more fruitful way forward for the genre than just studiously recreating the old patterns and what the big names of its golden age have already done. I'm never gonna be exactly like any of them, so why not be myself? And at the risk of getting too real for my target audience (hidden text):
This is something I feel a need to put out at least something under. A dark cloud has haunted all my most recent creative activity and I just want to make something that brings some sort of genuine good feelings to someone else. At least for a while. And this is the best first step I can think of.
"Liebe (ATB Remix)" by Ayla
Is "instrumental bubblegum" a thing? Because if it sounds anything like this, I'm all for it! Sure, the "forever progression" that never visits the root is a bit out of the ordinary, but the amount of BOUNCE in here is undeniable. I hesitate to tag anything as "emblematic" of a project that only has like, two 30-second sketches to its name, but this is kinda sorta the baseline I'm aiming at.
"Love Reeks" by Pi'erre Bourne
"Microtonal bubblegum" is perhaps even more of an oxymoron than "instrumental bubblegum", but I think even the former could work, treated with enough sensitivity. I don't think we'll be getting down to anything like neutral third scales anytime soon, but tunings that more accurately match the 7th harmonic can yield some sweeeet barbershop chords (another genre tending towards the relentlessly cheery!)
"Wherever You Are (I Feel Love)" by Laava
Perhaps the "most bubblegum" entry on this list, but still, there's a flavor thing that makes it stand out. A bit subdued vocally, perhaps, and a sound palette more akin to 90's American R&B than anything. I do like those sounds very much though, and I will say that the video's vibes are immaculate!
First, some background. "Kayvee Sauvage" is an alias I came up with for a prospective album project (tentatively titled ENDUIT DE SUCRE) that calls back to the sweet memories of my bubblegum-dance-colored youth. Problem is, all the good vibes in my life seemed to evaporate shortly after puberty, which is right when the genre was fading into the rearview, so those plans were scrapped. It's only in maturity, after slowly and tumultously working through several issues over a decade+, discovering who I really am (Happy Pride month y'all), and bringing people into my life who actually valued me instead of any convenient stripped-down idea of me – it's only after getting into that better place that I was able to think back on my encounters with bubblegum dance and see it in a more complete light.
In light of that, I don't want the music of this project to be small or timid in any way. I want it to be adventurous and stretch the stereotypical boundaries of the genre a fair bit. Not to attempt to turn it into something it's not, mind you, but more to make it bigger and more welcoming – to just be able to fit more kinds of good vibes into it! I don't wanna speak for anyone out of turn, but I think a lot of us here have grown a bit since our first exposure to bubblegum, and branched out into other musics that each have their own wonderful ways of communicating the feelings of happiness, joy, playfulness, wonder, etc. that we get from bubblegum! and I want to synthesize those into an exciting new musical brew.
I really think this is a more fruitful way forward for the genre than just studiously recreating the old patterns and what the big names of its golden age have already done. I'm never gonna be exactly like any of them, so why not be myself? And at the risk of getting too real for my target audience (hidden text):
̗̋̈˃̊̒̒̇˃̒̏ˊ˃˸˶ː̒̉ːˤ˃̖̖̈̈̐˃̗̒˃̅̈˃̗̘̆̒̑̌̑̌̑̊˃̗̒˃̊̒˃̒̉̉˃̗̋̈˃̖̄̌̏̕˃̗̜̓̒̏̌̌̆̄̏̏ˏ˃̄̑̇˃̗̖̋̌̑̊˃̖̈̈̐˃̗̒˃̅̈˃̗̗̊̈̌̑̊˃̐̒̈̕˃̘̗̉̄̊̋̕˃̉̒̕˃̓̈̒̓̏̈˃̏̌̎̈˃̐̈˃̜̅˃̗̋̈˃̜̇̄˄˃˶̒˃ˬ˃̉̈̈̏˃̜̐˃̗̌̐̈˃̗̒˃̗̘̜̄̆̄̏̏˃̗̊̈˃̗̖̋̌˃ˋ̄̑̇˃̗̒̋̈̕˃̗̖̓̒̍̈̆̕˃̑̈̄̕˃̄̑̇˃̇̈̄̕˃̗̒˃̜̐˃̗̋̈̄̕ˌ˃̒̉̉˃̗̋̈˃̘̊̒̑̇̕˃̖̌˃̗̏̌̐̌̈̇ˑ˃˨̙̈̑˃̌̉˃̗̋̈˃̖̗̒̚̕˃̖̆̄̈˃̒̉˃̗̌˃̄̏̏˃̖̌˃̘̖̗̍˃̐̈˃̙̋̄̌̑̊˃̗̒˃̖̗̖̈̄̅̏̌̋̕˃̜̖̐̈̏̉˃̖̒̐̈̋̈̈̚̕˃̖̈̏̈˃̌̑˃̗̋̈˃̒̏̇̚̕ˏ˃̗̗̋̄˃̄̏̒̑̈˃̖̌˃̗̗̜̓̒̈̑̌̄̏̏˃̄˃̅̌̊˃̖̘̗̇̌̓̌̒̑̕˃̗̗̋̄ˊ̏̏˃̖̗̌̆̎˃̄˃̈̑̆̋̚̕˃̌̑˃̗̖̋̌̑̊˃̉̒̕˃̘̗̔̌̈˃̄˃̋̌̏̈̚ˑØ
This is something I feel a need to put out at least something under. A dark cloud has haunted all my most recent creative activity and I just want to make something that brings some sort of genuine good feelings to someone else. At least for a while. And this is the best first step I can think of.
So, onto the actual point:
Please rate the following, presumably not-bubblegum tracks on the Bubblegum-O-Meter from 0-100% (where'd that go, by the way?) and then briefly point out what is and isn't bubblegum about it, including but not limited to
- Melody
- Harmony
- Rhythm
- Sound Palette / Timbres
Can't think of what else to put here, so I'll just list the tracks that are fresh in my mind and relevant thoughts to the project.
"Liebe (ATB Remix)" by Ayla
Is "instrumental bubblegum" a thing? Because if it sounds anything like this, I'm all for it! Sure, the "forever progression" that never visits the root is a bit out of the ordinary, but the amount of BOUNCE in here is undeniable. I hesitate to tag anything as "emblematic" of a project that only has like, two 30-second sketches to its name, but this is kinda sorta the baseline I'm aiming at.
Yes, very noisy and abrasive, but SB's specialty is taking elements like that and wrapping them up into a spicy yet addictive pop package. Similar electric guitar work (with cleaner production, ofc) could definitely bring a nice energy to things, especially in the more happy-hardcore-flavored bubblegum assortments (cf. Jenny Rom).
"Love Reeks" by Pi'erre Bourne
Dreamy cloudy trap music is one of those things that I encountered later in life and didn't think I was gonna enjoy, but I did. And Pi'erre Bourne, to my ear at least, is one of the best at it, ESPECIALLY in the department of sound design. At the very least, I think stylistic departures in this vein would make for some great transition tracks – I do want this to be an actual album, y'know.
"Microtonal bubblegum" is perhaps even more of an oxymoron than "instrumental bubblegum", but I think even the former could work, treated with enough sensitivity. I don't think we'll be getting down to anything like neutral third scales anytime soon, but tunings that more accurately match the 7th harmonic can yield some sweeeet barbershop chords (another genre tending towards the relentlessly cheery!)
"Wherever You Are (I Feel Love)" by Laava
Perhaps the "most bubblegum" entry on this list, but still, there's a flavor thing that makes it stand out. A bit subdued vocally, perhaps, and a sound palette more akin to 90's American R&B than anything. I do like those sounds very much though, and I will say that the video's vibes are immaculate!
Bubblegum
