Album Review: Bong-747 – Big Brother

An unconventionally captivating aural experience

The experimental electronic producer Bong-747 has recently released the debut album, Big Brother, and it is nothing short of a nonconformist and unprecedented aural experience for musical fanatics worldwide. The album consists of seven unorthodox songs, even including their original demo. Bong-747 hit the ground running, showcasing their talents in the experimental electronic industry.

The opening track to Big Brother, “Video Version” kicks off the album with a distorted, futuristic kind of ambience. The song steadily begins by introducing a brief sampling of a beeping countdown from an old-timey film reel, commencing the movie–this seems intentional in order to prepare listeners that they are in for a wild ride. As a warped, thudding electronic harmony consumes the audience’s attention, Bong-747 incorporates a shrill pinging electro beat, which leads into the sparse sampling of a woman’s moans cutting in and out. When the song hits its halfway mark, there is a new electronic melody that is applied in unconventional ways as well as an indistinguishable speech spoken with a set of male vocals, grasping the listeners’ attention.

“Lil Sys Mix” sounds like it would be the first song on a workout playlist to slowly warm people up before an intense incline. The track starts off with a light tapping beat and clapping sounds that take up the majority of the song. Since there are nonexistent lyrics, the audience solely focuses on the pulsating sounds that can be felt throughout their entire bodies. As the song progresses, Bong-747 incorporates distinct upbeat melodies that switch up every few loops to keep listeners on their toes. All of the tracks have their own distinctive, compelling sounds; however, songs like “It Depends Mix” and “Bbd G!,” are unparalleled in comparison with the other tracks.

Big Brother’s third track, “It Depends Mix” consists of similar samplings from other songs in the album, however, the opening begins with a monotone mechanic-like voice saying, “Don’t let it happen / It depends on you.” Before the track hits their instrumental interlude, all of the incompatible harmonies of faded beating basslines, shrill electronic taps and the clicking film reel samplings jumble together for an unexpected yet engrossing sound. As the new, entrancing electro beat is introduced, listeners feel like they are being transported through a path as Bong-747 moves the sound around them. This manipulation of sound made it possible to not only hear the sound, but feel and see how it moves around listeners, placing them in a hypnotic state. 

The concluding track on the album, “Bbd G!” is Bong-747’s demo clip for Big Brother, and only lasts twenty-four seconds, yet it displays their musical capability to pull in an audience. If there could be a sound that describes “sparkles,” this electronic melody would be it. The clip starts off with piercing, pinging electro beats that bounce off of one another that create an angelic sound in a computerized way. As the harmony progresses, it almost sounds like twinkling stars–high-pitched noises sparsely added with electronics. When the song dwindles down, listeners hear a soft voice harmonizing, “Ba dum / Ba dum / Ba dum / Ba Ba Ba dum,” in the most comforting way–a perfect ending to this enlightening clip. 

All of the seven songs on this transfixing, unconventional captivating message of an album are so similar and dissimilar at the same time, providing a deja vu experience for listeners. Big Brother showcases Bong-747’s unorthodox musical and lyrical talent that effortlessly earn them a spot in the experimental electronic music industry, granting their audience an unforgettable encounter with their new and fresh compositions.

Chloe Boos: I am currently a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder studying Journalism and Communication. I have always had a passion for music and writing, so this position is the best of both worlds. I love all genres of music from heavy metal to indie-pop to techno. In my free time, I love learning about different cultures, watching films, and spending time with family and friends.
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