While it would be accurate to call Norman-based musician Bronte an electronic music artist, it might send the wrong message. His work is instrumental and composed within a computer, yes, but it’s also remarkably organic. For folks that still think of electronic music in terms of dubstep drops and techno beats, it bears repeating that the “electronic” genre is a fairly outdated, woefully nonspecific term. Bronte is a good example as to why.
Bronte comes from the school of thought that birthed the folktronica and plunderphonics movements. Though not as boundary-pushing as the pioneers thereof, he finds a kaleidoscopic interpretation of the world through intricate sound curation and original composition.
He also favors a good, sturdy rhythm, a grounding element that enables his abstract viewpoint to be more approachable to less inclined listeners. He is no stranger to traditional drum machine sequencing, and he also borrows from breakbeat-style live drum samples when the occasion calls. He treats the latter in a way that rarely falls into either funk or jazz, two styles many DJ types lean into when using such samples. That doesn’t make Bronte’s music less infectious, however. He’s just more subtle about it.
On Bronte’s latest single, released today on Bandcamp and online streaming & downloading platforms, much of this is on full display. It is accompanied by a new music video, which can be viewed below in this Make Oklahoma Weirder premiere.
Titled “Everything Turns Out Alright”, this is the second lead single to Bronte’s upcoming 2020 album, Here for You. It comes fresh on the heels of “Sun Drenched”, which released earlier this month. Where that track had a bright, mischievous quirk to it, though, “Everything Turns Out Alright” is more in line with efforts like Bronte’s underrated 2019 album, Native. It meditates in gradual, atmospheric builds along a running path of hypnotic sample loops, culminating in a splendorous, pulsating glow before receding like an ocean tide at the golden hour.
Bronte’s style of music-making is brilliantly echoed in the lo-fi music video, which edits together a stream of faux-vintage shots into a tonal collage. Across an array of urban locations, the camera searches for natural moments, whether they be literal snippets of sun rays peeking through greenery or scenes of people passing through everyday life. Sometimes the most honest take is the one that breaks the fourth wall, so there are also shots of filmmaker and co-director Rebecca Wagner, usually with a camera in hand. The jump cuts flood to a dizzying pace by the end as if overwhelmed by the imagery.
“Everything Turns Out Alright” is thoughtfully crafted all around. Both visually and musically, it pulls from a wide spectrum of artistic expression and presents a collection of pieces and fragments that, when seen together as a whole, captures a beauty not always obvious up close. It just takes a little perspective.
Here for You, the forthcoming album from Bronte, releases February 21, 2020. It was in part funded by a GoFundMe campaign, and while that goal was met in December, you can still support the album and pick up some Kickstarter-style perks, as it is still active here. A release party is also in the works, so follow Bronte on Instagram to stay up on all the news as it develops.
aka Jarvix, the Chief Executive Weirdo of Make Oklahoma Weirder. His out-of-the-box music coverage has been published by the Oklahoma Gazette, KOSU, and The Oklahoman among others. He also makes DIY music as a solo multi-instrumentalist live looper in his spare time.