Hull-based shoegaze quartet bdrmm have released the single ‘Be Careful’ ahead of the release of their sophomore album I Don’t Know, due to be released on Mogwai’s Rock Action label on June 30th.
The track starts with a long intro boasting distorted guitars, setting the mood for a dark yet hopeful song about picking yourself up and trying to change. There’s a sense that the group are fully aware of what drew people into the sonic aspects of their debut album, but are doing everything in their power to refine what was already there to create an even more absorbing sound.
Written during the pandemic in frontman Ryan Smith’s garden studio setup, where copious amounts of wine were consumed, he said of the track: “It’s about taking care of yourself and realising when you need to change. I’ve been guilty of indulging too much and I definitely noticed myself becoming somebody I don’t like. Trying to be a better person is hard when you don’t know you’re doing something wrong.”
In a world of constant comparison with people we see on social media and a drive to always better yourself, bdrmm talk rather earnestly about the change we want to see in ourselves. “Be careful of yourself / Prepare for something else / It’s coming“, the chorus goes, and it conveys the feeling of being lost in a dark place while still being hopeful for change. It’s a thing we can all understand and relate to, even if we don’t care to admit it, but thankfully bdrmm are there to guide us through that fog of confusion.
Words: Clara Bullock // Photo: Katherine Mackenzie
‘Be Careful’ is out now, taken from bdrmm’s forthcoming album ‘I Don’t Know’, out June 30th via Rock Action. Stream the track and pre-order the album via Bandcamp.