Exposing Underground Artists
These creators may have a smaller following than mainstream musicians, but there’s nothing small about the amount of talent they have.
February 21, 2018
Bedroom pop, a music genre in which beginning artists produce at home, rather than at professional studio space, has been taking over Soundcloud.
These artists produce music without a record label or a team of professionals, creating personalized, underground music. For many, it starts as a hobby and quickly becomes a full blown profession, as artists are able to expand their audiences without quite reaching mainstream media.
Among these artists is Adib Sin, whose tracks sound like a dream. Though his work technically falls under the electronic category, it branches out far from the genre. He uploads singles consistently, and though he has only released eight songs, every one of them delivers a sincere, meaningful message and a special, unique sound able to deeply impact the listener.
The beauty of small artists is that they have full control of their art. From listening to his songs, it’s clear that Adib Sin projects his genuine self through his music. He posts a small explanation or message with each song he releases to give listeners more context and transparency to the song’s meaning. His calming, serene and overall beautiful tracks are far from any sound heard on the radio, but deserves attention and praise.
Joe Boston, who creates music under the name Shallou, also brings a new sound to pop music. He is categorized as Electro house or a blend between electronic and indie, but like Adib Sin, it is difficult to confine his sound to a definite label.
He describes his debut album, “It All Becomes Okay” as ”an electronic album with an indie heart,” a description that can only be understood by experiencing it first hand. His music brings the perfect balance of melancholy and tranquility through his talented production and vocals. Currently on tour and with a substantial Spotify audience, Shallou is slowly emerging from his days of producing in the bedroom.
Though he has thousands of followers on Twitter, the bulk of Louie Zong’s following comes from his ties to “We Bare Bears,” the popular Cartoon Network show. As a storyboarder for the cartoon show, Zong has established himself online as an visual artist. However, he has just over one thousand followers on Spotify, and many fans remain unaware of his musical talent.
Zong is a self-described “illustrator who also happens to make music every once in a while.” He strays the furthest from mainstream music, with most of his music being personal creative pieces, with titles such as “Burbank Rainbow” and “Dogsitting.” He also combines his musical and artistic talents, creating music for his animations on his self-titled Youtube channel.
The bulk of his music is a hybrid between indie and electronic, creating pieces that resemble video game tracks. For an artist that creates music “every once in a while,” Zong has over ten albums, countless singles and continuously uploads on his Spotify, Bandcamp and Youtube channel.
Other artists fitting into this offbeat category include Japanese Wallpaper, Kidswaste, Lauv, and Joey Pecoraro. Though mainstream music receives everyone’s full attention, bedroom musicians deserve a share of the spotlight.
