Bulbs - Infirmary Of Dream

Bulbs - Harper Pools


I love tapes. Not only are they fun and make me nostalgic, but sometimes there is no better medium than a tape. When you play a tape, it's lo-fi and warbly and there's always that signature tape hiss that can't (or shouldn't) be replicated. This happens with all tapes though, regardless of the type of music. You could put something recorded in the highest fidelity on a tape and this description still applies. So when a band comes around and puts out a tape with music that already sounds lo-fi and warbly and they incorporate the hiss into their aesthetic, then I just get all giddy.

Bulbs did just that. Infirmary Of Dream truly belongs on a tape. Not that it would sound wrong if they released it on a CD; other bands do that all the time. But it just makes sense to put Infirmary Of Dream on tape considering the way it sounds.

When I think of glitch music, I generally associate that with sharp, crystal clear notes. So when a band like Bulbs creates glitch music that fits so perfectly on tape, it seems almost like an oxy-moron at first. But when you hear how warped and droney this glitch is, you'll understand.

It's simultaneously spacey and deep under water. It's thick as tar and wide open. There are parts that sound so organic that they could be field recordings from a rain forest and then there's the obviously manufactured electronics. Truly mesmerizing.

Infirmary Of Dream was originally recorded as the audio part of an art installation done with Tracy Maurice. The sculpture has since been taken down but Bulbs self released this piece of magic for all to enjoy.