Less than five years ago, bdrmm was leading a shoegaze revival. The Yorkshire-based band infused their guitar work with heavy distortion, drawing inspiration from 1980s goth music and 1990s alternative rock to forge a sound that is both dark and ethereal. They released their debut album with Sonic Cathedral, captivating audiences in both intimate settings and at festivals with their entrancing melodies and well-equipped pedalboards. However, something deeper was always simmering beneath the shoegaze aesthetic.
bdrmm never fully embraced the label of a conventional guitar band. This shift began with their second album, 2023's ‘I Don’t Know’. While the moody guitars and distinctive vocals familiar from their debut were still present, along with nods to Thom Yorke, both as a member of Radiohead and as a solo artist, the group aimed to expand the shoegaze soundscape with atmospheric electronic elements and driving beats. ‘I Don’t Know’ served as a bridge between their fuzzy roots and a more synthesizer-oriented direction.
According to their trusted producer Alex Greaves, bdrmm is poised to release the album they’ve long envisioned. ‘Microtonic’, their third full-length project, embodies their sonic aspirations more than ever before. Featuring spoken word segments, erratic drum patterns, and bleak, dystopian lyrics, bdrmm ventures into more cinematic territory, broadening their '90s influences to encompass Massive Attack, Portishead, and Trent Reznor. Despite ‘Microtonic’ existing in an entirely new realm—perhaps better suited for the walls of an underground club than The New Adelphi—it retains the same density and allure as the band's earlier work.
“This record feels like the culmination of what you guys have been working towards,” Greaves says as we settle into Studio 2 at The Nave, cups of tea in hand and soon forgotten amid conversation. “However, I don’t think it represents as much of a departure from your previous work as some may believe. To me, it still carries the hallmarks of a bdrmm record. It’s music meant for headphones. It’s immersive.”
He’s directing his remarks to brothers-turned-bandmates Ryan and Jordan Smith, who have been regulars at The Nave for years. All of bdrmm’s albums have been recorded in this converted church on the outskirts of Leeds, and Greaves has been present for each one, creating a much closer relationship than the typical band-producer dynamic—and fortunately, their musical tastes have aligned as well.
“When we created the first album, we enjoyed the same music, and we still do,” Greaves shares. “The idea of making a more electronic record was something I believed they could and should explore.” Though Greaves and the band were aligned on the desire to delve into more electronic sounds, the vision for ‘Microtonic’ wasn’t always so well-defined.
bdrmm arrived at The Nave with just a handful of concepts but enough confidence to believe they could produce an entire album from them. “With the last record,” Jordan notes, “everyone’s influences and ideas were too scattered. It eventually came together nicely, but it felt unfocused. When we started this record, it seemed like everyone was in sync with what we were listening to and how we wanted the album to sound. There was less hesitation.”
This newfound willingness to experiment appears to have arisen from several factors: the coherence of their increasingly electronic influences, the quality of their home recording setups, and the liberating return to writing in personal spaces. “Our recent working methods have diverged significantly from what we were used to,” Jordan continues. “We used to simply gather in a practice room and write with guitars. Now, we all live in different cities, the sound is shifting more electronic, and we have the chance to create at home with quality equipment.”
“Nobody had rehearsed it together in a room before it arrived here,” Greaves adds, “none of the album's songs were created that way.”
As bdrmm dismissed their worries about how the tracks might translate to a live performance, ‘Microtonic’ evolved into their most experimental project yet. “There was so much restriction from album one to album two,” Ryan remarks. “Now, we have the freedom to explore whatever we wish and then learn how to perform it live.” “Worry about that later,” Greaves assures him, “and besides, that’s not my concern.”
While the producer’s role may have concluded once he mixed the final moments of ‘Microtonic’, the band has just begun the challenge of translating the album from studio to stage. Though this may seem daunting—turning programmed beats and layered synths into a performance as vibrant as their past sets—bdrmm has found moments of liberation in this process. “Typically, in the studio, there’s a point where all of your effort coalesces,” Jordan explains. “But
Reviewer: Otis Robinson Released: February 28, 2025 Label: Because
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Fewer than five years ago, bdrmm was leading a revival of shoegaze. Soaking their riffs in distortion, the band from Yorkshire embraced