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Live Review: Banoffee does more than pop with 'Bubble'

30 November 2018 | 9:20 am | Max Lewis

Experimental pop icon Banoffee serves up a sparkling ode to the underdog on 'Bubble', alongside a DIY self-directed video.

After a massive stint in none other than Charli XCX's band supporting Taylor Swift's REPUTATION tour, LA via Melbourne multi-disciplined wonder BANOFFEE has dropped a brand spanking new single in the form of 'Bubble'. Not only is it a quirky slice of leftfield pop - it's an uplifting ode to the underdog with a nifty self-directed video to go with it.

As an artist that's worked with SOPHIEHTML flowers, l8loomer and of course Charli XCX, it's no surprise that Banoffee sounds like pop music created by a extra-terrestrial race that far surpasses ours. Look no further than her previous track 'Muscle Memory' - with its erratic beats and garbled vocals providing some neat edge to an otherwise sparkling pop tune. On her latest Banoffee says, "'Bubble' is my combat to bullies. It’s for the underdogs when they lose sight of their power. Being different, being unheard or unseen is so dispiriting. I hope in those moments something like this song is a little pick me up."

Filled with squelchy, metallic beats and fat analog bass, 'Bubble' starts high and keeps rising up; minimal verses lead to a chorus jam-packed with swelling synth pads warped vocal layers. With a less erratic pace and more of a downtempo vibe, 'Bubble' gives its powerful message the spotlight without sacrificing Banoffee's trademark wackiness. It's a little more straightforward in its pop sensibilities than, say, 'Muscle Memory', but that certainly isn't to its detriment.

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The accompanying video, directed by 'Banoffee and pals', echoes the track's empowering sentiment with a neat DIY aesthetic. Filmed in a Dallas hotel room, we see through shakey home-video footage Banoffee performing the song with a cast of friends acting as backup dancers, spliced in with shots of her performing to an ecstatic crowd in a tiny pub. Made with no budget and a handful of friends, it really encapsulates the feel-good vibe of 'Bubble', with the lo-fi aesthetic fitting nicely into the rest of Banoffee's buckwild visual catalogue. 'Bubbles' is our first taste of what is set to be more extroverted and forward thinking cuts from Banoffee - and as a teaser, its certainly piqued our interest.

IMAGE: SUPPLIED

Words by MAX LEWIS

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