BRONSEN VIDAS NEW SONG IS MORE THAN A TIME-KILLER

I did not expect to have something quite like "Killing Time" showing up in my inbox anytime soon, and boy was I both surprised and glad, because this song ticks pretty much all the boxes in my. If you're familiar with Sophistipop or its Japanese cousin, the repopularized City-Pop genre, then you will recognize the familiar turn-of-the-century (21st century, that is) jazzy and funky Pop sound that coats the track with a sophisticated yet laid-back varnish.

First impressions with this track are quite strong, they're made by the insisting piano melody that accompanies you along the entire length of the track with a familiar contemporary jazz color, and when Bronsen's voice kicks in he certainly leans into that contemporary direction with a bit of a classic  Motown swag, definitely accentuated by the very fat and groovy bass lines lurking just underneath all of that piano. at the very background of the song, there's another constant presence that adds a whole dimension of its own, it's a simple dream-like sequence of synth notes with an ethereal sound that expand and sink into the other instruments like a paced and deliberate rhythmic breathing technique, though the main function would seem to be simply to fill some musical space to thicken the entire song, I believe it plays with the themes explicitly put forth by the lyrics, and I think that without this very simple but effective use of the synth, the song would come off as too giddy and sparkly to "work" with said themes.

As far as beats go, I did hear a much more modern electronic take with even a bit of an urban flavor to it that Vidas seemed to acknowledge and even flirt with vocally, almost rapping some of his lines at times.

Another very important aspect pulling the song towards Motown is the guitar. It doesn't really play a part of the song until the 2:52 mark, where it announces the final act, and it does so with the utmost grace and style. A sound very reminiscent of great funky guitarists like Nile Rodgers and Jimmy Nolen.

The more I listened to "Killing Time" the more impressed with it I got. It soon became clear to me that Bronsen Vidas is not only a consummate and highly skilled musician but also someone who Isn't afraid to experiment with less-than-mainstream sounds and bring them together in a song that has the catchy qualities of mainstream pop success.

I'll own this Boomer moment if I must, but I honestly believe that Bronsen's Jazzy sound is a true breath of fresh air in a music scene that's a bit too saturated with minimalist, beat-centric music that only really gives protagonism to the vocals. His use of traditional virtuoso instrumental elements is an instant stand-out, and it has the potential of bringing a new appreciation for what these sounds are capable of in a new generation of listeners, who are growing up in musical landscapes packed with more electronic proposals.

Got some time to kill? This song is easy to replay some 10 times in a row.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born raised and based. 

I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant  ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work . Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.