“Clean,” a dreamy indie delight courtesy of Brooklyn-based bedroom pop artisans Pon Far (Star Trek fans please save your knowing looks), is a paragon of its genre. Scores of DIY indie acts have flourished under the comfy catch-all title “bedroom pop” over the past few years. It’s a unique idiom in that its very name implies the acceptance of and even an emphasis on limitations- despite the abundance of relatively inexpensive recording equipment narrowing the playing field between at-home songsmiths and big budget productions, something made and advertised as being of a “bedroom” variety naturally suggests a lo-fi aesthetic. This acceptance has placed a kind of democratizing spotlight on homegrown music of all stripes, some of it well deserving of the attention, and some of it maybe not so much.
Not so with “Clean,” whose production values live up to its title. Sure, it features the reverb-laden, spacey atmospheres that are a genre staple, but “Clean” is an exemplar of bedroom pop’s potential precisely because those textures are additive, not essential. Rather than being employed to bury a troubled recording, they enhance an already well-crafted, well-produced track. Don’t get me wrong – I admire the go-getter attitude of the DIY-ers, and am grateful for modern technology affording more artists an opportunity and a platform to showcase their songs. I just wish they’d all sound as clean as “Clean.”
“Clean” showcases an elegant, highly melodic lead vocal, supported by some angelic harmonies and bell-like synth tones straight out of the ’80s. Its subtle dynamic shifts come courtesy of fluctuating instrumentation where guitars and synths drop in and out as it behooves the mood, as well as some clever percussion – distinctly rhythmic and driving while never overpowering, sitting far enough back in the mix that despite it’s constant presence the song retains its mellow vibe.
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