Baum Jr is back with another double A side, ready to blur the line between retro and futuristic with his own brand of ‘Next-Gen 8-Bit’. Few acts can take a genre known for crystal clear precision and inject such raw emotion like that found in the latter half of ‘The Sunset & The Coalpit’. What starts as a synth laden journey through a cyberpunk world, with some bombastic drums thrown in for good measure, soon can no longer contain the rising tension. The passion in the vocals at the climax of the track manages to outshine the technical wizardry at work. The stripped back re-imagining of ‘Foundations’ by London punk quartet Apologies, I Have None further shows off his vocals and delves deeper into the man behind the machinery. It’s these moments that make Baum Jr stand out; the loving heart beating beneath the electronic exterior.
baum jr
Top Tracks: Baum Jr – When I Grow Up/Heroes
Whilst the 80s had a few stylistic dead ends, much of the music spawned at the time now seems to have a curious timeless quality about it. Fast forward to 2016 and big cascading synths sound as fresh as ever. This stunning debut double A side single (remember those?) from electropop artist Baum Jr draws inspiration from classic video game and film scores in a style which he has christened ‘next-gen 8-bit’. On ‘When I Grow Up’ he dusts off the hit track from forgotten 90s alternative rockers Garbage and breathes new life into it. The transformation is miraculous, and the expansive soundscape he has created continues even further with his track ‘Heroes’ which boasts a brilliant beat and addictive electronics. Baum Jr has tapped into influences from years gone by, but by all accounts the end product sounds like something from the not too distant future which we just happen to lucky enough to experience slightly ahead of schedule.
Belwood Music 