Glaswegian quartet Bubbatrees prepare to release their brooding new single Alchemy on now.
Dark, tantalising synths set the tone before pulsating drum beats and reverb-heavy guitar twangs takeover, creating a sound that is both celestial and sonically powerful. Frontman Andrew Gibb’s deep, rich vocal resonates effortlessly over the eerie soundscapes, reminiscent of the likes of We Are Scientists’ Keith Murray. Talking about Alchemy, Gibb elaborates “Alchemy by definition is the transformation of a base metal into gold, the song takes this idea and builds upon it metaphorically. It’s about how we are experiencing an old way of life transforming into a new one and how the more natural, less technological age is transgressing into an ever evolving digital age.”
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Bubbatrees about the new music, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
(Andy) My introductory stages to music were mainly through Classic rock artists and there was something that I can’t explain but that just interested and attracted me to want to become a part of it. I became obsessed with listening to music and started delving into other artists and finding new sounds. As became older I started listening to an even wider variety of genres, I loved how there were no limits to the enjoyment you can find through any kind of music, and I think this is what spawned the current genre of music that we write in Bubbatrees. I learned that you can merge different styles to create whatever you want, there should be no limits or confinement when writing, the fundamental reason why I enjoy whatever genre or style this would be defined as is because it provokes emotion in me, that is what music is all about.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
When I was younger my Dad and Uncle both played guitar, and they both played music around me when I was younger such as John Martyn and Jimi Hendrix, I remember the first time my Uncle played Nirvana’s Nevermind and it was what really attracted me to music. Not long after that my Uncle gave me a guitar and I started teaching myself, I then got a drum kit and taught myself that. Music has always been a cool thing to me, I love how something you have created can provoke such emotion in other people and influence how they may feel, whether it is a comforting sadness, a feeling of euphoria or an energetic fierceness. This is why I need to feed it to the public. The infinite possibility keeps me sane, I feel a need to provide the public with what we have created. At the same time it is a personal release, an expression of how I feel and what I have to say, and if that resonates with people then great!
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
So many musicians and people close to me influence my creativity, the list of musicians is so long, but recently I have been listening to a lot of 80s music, rap and trap, gothic, electronic, new wave and rock. The guys in the band help me a lot, it’s amazing to have a group of people around you that can take things in any direction and bring whole new ideas to the table. My family are also hugely supportive. Experiences in my life also have a massive effect on creativity as they are really what build the foundations for song ideas and lyrics. I also take ideas from books. My taste in music has definitely changed over time as I think anyone’s does, as you develop so do your tastes, but that’s not to say that I don’t still appreciate what I may have liked in the past, I obviously liked it for a reason.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
We wanted to really set ourselves apart from everyone else on this project. It is quite a defining moment for us as I feel like it shows people what we really have to offer, it has built a foundation for the next few songs that we will release, they won’t be predictable but there is definitely more of a Bubbatrees sound developing. We also wanted to incorporate a good amount of different sounds and influences into this release, and I wanted to put out something that has real meaning behind the lyrics and music in relation to the world of today.
What was the last song you listened to?
Yumi Zouma – December
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Any format is good! But vinyl is definitely the coolest.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Personally I like Spotify, that is what I use so I’m biased but I find it easiest to use, I think a lot of people use Spotify as well, it seems like the go to place to hear music.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
Social media management is like a job in itself, so this would be the main challenge when trying to connect with people. Everyone is absorbed into social media now, and if you don’t know the correct ways of managing it it can be hard for people to know that you even exist. Also when releasing music it really helps to get yourself on some kind of spotify playlist as this means complete strangers may listen and become fans, if you don’t end up on one of these playlists it can be hard for new people to hear you. These are all ways of quickly gaining fans though, it can still be done organically by playing local shows, releasing music, and shamelessly self promoting.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
We are everywhere! Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, we are also on most streaming platforms namely Spotify, iTunes, Deezer etc. We have a YouTube Channel as well, so get involved with all of that!
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
Thanks Middle Tennessee for the questions! We have a lot more interesting releases coming up, so stay updated by Subscribing, liking and following us!
