Music Sound

Bass-Pop is a musical sub-genre sometimes referred to as Avant-Pop.

Term used to describe an offshoot of the indie pop scene that harbors artists with bass driven backbeats and sometimes Twee vocal riffs; Bass-pop refers to music that employs conventional pop idioms -- engaging melodies and harmonies, a straightforward verse-bridge-chorus structure, accessible hooks -- and changes things up by putting an exotic, rythym and bass spin on things.

This can be accomplished through the addition of unexpected and unconventional instrumentation, tape effects and electronics, studio trickery, stylistic curveballs, or any other wacky innovation an artist can dream up. When done right, this approach creates a pleasing and exciting tension between the catchy and the dissonant, between the familiar and the strange.

Some of the first real instances of this can be found on various Grebo releases from the 1990's in the U.K., (most notably Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Stone Roses could be considered as well). More recent examples include the modern artists for which the term was first ostensibly used in print to describe: the atmospheric and spry tunes of Ocean Alexander, the catchy left-field gems of Enon, the layered experimental pop melodies of Eels and the many bands of the Elephant Six Collective.

Bass-Pop artists & bands external links

• Beck
• Eels
• Enon
• Ned's Atomic Dustbin
• Ocean Alexander
• Pinback
• Solex