Do we really need HD music services? Up-and-coming band Bamily says "no"

High-res music's superior sound quality isn't really that important. That's the verdict of up-and-coming foursome Bamily, who feel that the quality of the music being made today is good enough in itself, regardless of whether it is delivered through a HD music service like Tidal or not.

"Just enjoy it," exclaimed band member Tim Raben, when speaking to the Pocket-lint podcast. "We've passed the barrier where the quality can hinder your enjoyment."

Bamily are based in Brixton and, as well as Raben, are made up of Louis Fulford-Smith, Charlie Pitts and Benjy Gibson. They are a relatively new group, but already heavily backed by the Apple Music-owned A&R label Platoon. Their pop undertones are seeped in influences taken from disco, hip-hop and soul.

"They made it [the sound quality] way better, but it didn't make the music any better," added Pitts when we went to meet them at their studio.

Scarily endless posibilities

That's not to say Bamily doesn't embrace today's technology as part of the process. As well as elements of sampling and DJing in their sets, a large portion of their music is enhanced by the power of software, including Apple's Logic Pro.

"Once it's in the realm of Logic the possibilities are scarily endless," added Fulford-Smith. "Even if you gave two producers the same source material you would end up with very different songs at the end. Sometimes the software uses you."

And, at times, it's not even them making the music, but software and AI:

"I used some software where you create a set of rules and systems that the computer has to abide by - you press start and the computer generates its own music," explained Pitts. It was an interesting experiment: "Every time you press play you get different results."

Those results can be awful, interesting or weird, he revealed. But, for Pitts, it's about extracting elements of what's been created and then trying to contextualise the results. It could even become the basis of Bamily's next track.

"It's a mishmash of everything. We get our influences from everywhere," he added.

Headline act

That approach is consistent with their track releases so far.

The music captures a happy go lucky feel, with an eighties vibe and uplifting beats - something that transcends into their live gigs. The band are renowned for throwing unconventionally located secret gigs in London to precede their monthly releases, jumping between drum kit and live DJ sets in order to re-create their sound.

They play regularly at the Jago in Dalston in South East London and are also headlining the Pocket-lint Awards in November.

And the future? It's about making more music. The band confirmed to us they've got a new track coming soon and an EP out before Christmas. 

You can listen the full interview on the latest Pocket-lint podcast out this Friday.

from Pocket-lint https://ift.tt/2N6Itot
via IFTTT