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The bedroom pop subgenre has seen a rise in exposure over the past few years. Acts such as Kurt Vile and Emerald Park create intimate music within a confined space and transcend the experience of the mundane into something that can resonate with all listeners.
The newcomer to this setting is Youth Lagoon. He is a 22-year-old musician who shows exemplary use of soothing melodies, a good balance of upbeat and downcast rhythms and the ability to write simple lyrics that upon closer look show insight. Case in point is one of the more striking tracks entitled “17”. A piano intro segues into his singing of his recollections, “When I was 17/ my mother said to me/ don’t stop imagining/ the day that you do is the day that you die.” The song then picks up with a wavy guitar line and rhythmic claps. “Afternoon” is the sort of track that will remind you of a clear-cut pop song that succeeds in putting a smile on your face with its infectious whistling, the singer vocalizing ‘oh’s’ and ‘ah’s’ which lead into the outro that will lead you to hit repeat as soon as the song is finished. It is special witnessing the work of one musician working within his resources and experiences to create something that can speak about what the average listener goes through. Young musicians who make music in their rooms will doubtless be inspired.
-Frank Makri
