BDRMM RETURN WITH "MICROTONIC" & HOMECOMING SHOW AT THE WELLY
photos: Stew Baxter
Hull’s own genre-blurring four-piece BDRMM are back—pushing boundaries, reshaping soundscapes, and celebrating the release of their brand-new album Microtonic, out now via Mogwai’s Rock Action label. The highly anticipated record marks a thrilling evolution for the band, diving deeper into electronic textures while staying true to their shoegaze roots.
If "John on the Ceiling" and "Infinity Peaking" hinted at a new sonic direction, "Lake Disappointment" confirms it. A pulsating, aggressive dive into electronic textures, the track cements BDRMM’s fearless approach to reinvention. Influenced by a support slot with Daniel Avery and a collective mind-melting trip to Field Day, the band have embraced dance music in a way that feels both natural and electrifying.
Guitarist and vocalist Ryan Smith describes the single as "probably the most aggressive and exciting song we've conjured up." He recalls sending it to longtime producer Alex Greaves and being met with immediate enthusiasm: "I’ve never seen him so excited about a track."
Speaking on the track’s themes, Ryan continues: "Within all the melancholy of the record, there is a lot of anger too. This is us getting that out, and saying fuck you to the wrongdoers."
The music video for "Lake Disappointment" is just as uncompromising. Shot in an abandoned Sheffield warehouse, the band created their own dystopian TV shopping channel under the sinister control of "MicroTech." Long hours in the cold wearing hospital gowns left them physically wrecked—but, as Ryan puts it, "no pain, no gain (we're still waiting for the gain)."
A NEW ERA FOR BDRMM WITH MICROTONIC
Microtonic is the band’s boldest leap yet. Featuring guest appearances from Sydney Minsky Sargeant (Working Men's Club) and Olivesque (Nightbus), the 10-track record is an expansive blend of shoegaze, electronica, and dancefloor energy.
The album marks a turning point for BDRMM. While they built their reputation on hazy, guitar-laden dreamscapes, Microtonic finds them fully embracing a new sonic spectrum—fusing their signature shoegaze roots with driving beats, textural synths, and an experimental edge. "I felt very constrained writing a certain type of music to fit the genre [we were known for], but something lifted and I felt more free to create what I want," Ryan explains. "And what I seem to be doing at the moment is a lot of electronic music—taking influence from different spans of electronica, from dance music to ambient and more experimental sources."
Tracks like "John on the Ceiling" and "Infinity Peaking" set the stage for this shift, blending hypnotic melodies with immersive production. But Microtonic doesn’t abandon BDRMM’s past—it builds on it. The signature reverb-soaked guitars remain, now working in tandem with deeper basslines, intricate rhythms, and an electrified energy that pulses throughout the record.
Following 2023’s I Don’t Know, which drew widespread acclaim from Rolling Stone UK, Brooklyn Vegan, and BBC Radio 6 Music, Microtonic looks set to elevate BDRMM even further. Early singles have already turned heads, and anticipation for the album’s release is high. Available now on digital, CD, classic black LP, and indie-store exclusive coloured vinyl via Rock Action: bdrmm.lnk.to/microtonic.
HOMECOMING SHOW AT THE WELLY + UK TOUR UNDERWAY
With Microtonic out in the world, BDRMM are bringing it to life across the UK, and tonight, it’s Hull’s turn. The Welly plays host to what promises to be an unmissable homecoming show, as the band return to where it all began. Expect swirling synths, charged-up energy, and a band operating at the peak of their powers. Tickets are flying—if you haven’t already, grab yours now.
BDRMM’s Microtonic tour continues across the UK, with dates spanning the coming weeks. If you can’t make The Welly, don’t miss your chance to catch them elsewhere. See you in the crowd.
