Indie Music: Blunda, "Brighter Days"

by Germar Derron

On Brighter Days, Blunda presents a pleasant mix of moods via a musical journey. A central mode drives the project, but a light blending of a few genres makes this unique. Beyond the style of music, here, Blunda also manages the tiniest bit of a journey through time. 

Pieces of Brighter Days feel familiar because it's a modern sound (where modern means the last twelve years of indie or alternative pop and rock). And some tracks evoke that similar familiar feeling by connecting to sounds and songs of thirty to forty years ago.  Each method is equally effective.

Overall, here, Blunda seems unafraid to do whatever they want. Vocals. No vocals. Synth. Guitar. Pop. Rock. And at least on "Beginning," . . . audio scene. 

Much of this project sounds bigger than music alone. It does not lack without the connection, but it's easy to imagine landscapes, or scenes from television or movies. So learning that Blunda composes for television and film comes as no surprise. This mood feels ripped right from the soundtrack of forty years of popular media.

Beginning with "Beginning" is risky. It sets a tone, a scene that's not necessarily the tone and scene of the project. But it's also announcing that this project is all about tone, mood, and scenes. On "Beginning," listeners are immediately transported to a beach, or rainforest--somewhere barefooted, wet, and peaceful.  

On the very next track, "Lost Without You," all of the distinct energy of "Beginning" is immediately tossed in favor of something that is more traditional, perfectly balanced . . . lyrical. But beyond the immediate shock that the quick switch causes, it too is pleasant--another fun listen. And that's my takeaway.

This album is fun, produced well, and mixed well--an aural and emotional cleansing. 

Very well done.