Album Review: Pip Blom – Bobbie (Heavenly Recordings)

With their third studio album, Bobbie, Amsterdam-based indie rock band Pip Blom embarks on a synth-pop odyssey, diverging from the guitar-driven roots of previous offerings—the fuzzy riffs of Welcome Break (2021) and the easy charm of Boat(2019). Distinguished by their jangly pop hooks and earnest lyrical delivery, the quartet has steadily risen through the ranks of the indie scene, with Bobbie signifying an adventurous leap into electronic pop yet still underscored by an inherent indie rock ethos. For more, on April 3rd, Pip Blom will join Bucharest’s Europavox Festival at Control Club.

The 12-track album opens with Not Tonight, a track that immediately sets the contemplative and invigorating tone with its synth-driven melody, driving bass line and New Order-esque vibe, setting a high-energy tone for the album. This new direction is further crystallized in tracks like anthemic earworm singles Tiger and Is This Love? The latter featuring an electrifying, highly danceable collaboration with Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos.

One of the album’s standouts is Kiss Me By The Candlelight, a woozy duet between Blom and Willem Smit of fellow Dutch band Personal Trainer. The track resonates with the minimal, funky disco-pop reminiscent of Metric and Metronomy. Each song on Bobbie thrives on its tight, punchy production, a testament to Blom’s partnership with producer Dave McCracken (Jay-Z, Kanye West), whose experience brings a newfound precision to the band’s sound.

The lyrical content of Bobbie marks a significant evolution for lead singer Pip Blom, who has stated that she has traditionally found lyrics challenging because English is her second language. This time, Blom approached the task with ‘guidebooks’ of themes and ideas, weaving narratives that resonate with authenticity and vulnerability. The result is a collection of intimate and universal songs, capturing the essence of indie storytelling within the framework of catchy pop melodies.

Tracks like Fantasies, which is darker in tone, Red, and Again embody this lyrical growth, weaving narratives of personal introspection and relational dynamics against the backdrop of pulsating synths and rhythmic beats. The album closes with 7 Weeks, a reflective piece that hints at the continuous evolution yet to come.

By embracing synthesizers and electronic production from the outset, Pip Blom has crafted an album that respects their indie rock foundation while boldly venturing into pop territories. Bobbie offers a distinct take on genre fusion by marrying the former’s angularity with the latter’s lush textures. Essentially, it is a thrilling new beginning for Pip Blom, promising much more on the horizon.