It is a great pleasure to welcome back a master builder of sounds and a favorite guest on this blog, Stephen H. Cumberbatch, although everyone else calls him the creator C’batch. Calling him a mere “artist” would be a grave injustice to his contributions; he is, after all, one of the cornerstone figures of contemporary music. For all of you who have been following his journey so far, his past compositions such as “Song For Good” and the emotionally charged “Trapped (I’m doing fine)” are not mere songs but profound messages that continue to haunt your thoughts even after the last melody dies away. For those of you who haven’t managed to escape the clutches of those songs yet, here is the latest addition to his repertoire. The man is back with an absolutely fascinating two-track release “Fluorescent Buzz (Next Time – You Got Me Falling)” that made its debut on the 11th of April. It is indeed an absolute privilege to analyze this latest creation by C’Batch in the high-voltage realm he has created for us.
The album starts with “Fluorescent Buzz (Next Time-You Got Me Falling)-Alternate Version” which features an unexpectedly delicious melody. This rough and percussive introduction ultimately evolves into a mid-paced groove, powered by a thick and fuzzy bassline. The focus of this song is mainly on the disorienting state of mind during an abrupt emotional breakdown, where the lyrics describe the shocking feeling of losing your balance in what seemed to be a solid relationship. The character in the song makes sure to let her beloved know that if he was there with her and for her, things would have been so much better and handled better. The musical quality is polished and synthesized, with the vocals delivered in such a way that it appears to be a conscious choice on the part of the vocalist, who sounds as though he/she is singing her heart out through a haze. There is an abundance of jagged guitar riffs combined with a very deep, echoing drum kit that makes listening to the music intense and real. It creates an effect whereby the listener finds himself/herself in the “buzz” of the melody and the song
Afterwards comes the main version, Fluorescent Buzz (Next Time – You Got Me Falling). It has a noticeably distinct way of introducing itself compared to the others. Rather than starting with any industrial sounds, this song begins with the sound of a pristine, cascading synthesizer line with a vibrato effect that creates a “fluorescent” glow-like ambiance. Despite singing about falling and failing again, the message conveyed by this song has a much more yearning attitude to it. This version of the music is very different from the other one because it is much more polished and the vocal performance is very clear. It is more melodious due to the presence of gentle harmonies and pop melodies used to create an interesting contrast with the lyrical themes of the song. There are lots of layers of synthesizers and four-to-the-floor beats which help to create a rather catchy and energetic atmosphere. From the point of view of the listener, the effect of listening to this song is that of bittersweet happiness, since one may feel like dancing but at the same time suffering from the lyrics.
How else could one comment on an individual of such talent when he presents himself with such clarity? Lightning never strikes twice according to the old saying, but C’batch has proven all doubters wrong by demonstrating how creative inspiration can strike in precisely the same spot, albeit with greater force than before. What this two track release represents is quite a shockwave, a blast of music that knocked me right out of my socks, and yet at the same time, it provides absolute evidence of the strength that exists within him. Indeed, this work is absolutely brilliant in its scope and intensity, and I am eagerly awaiting the next strike he will deliver.
Stream the “Fluorescent Buzz (Next Time – You Got Me Falling)” album on Spotify
Follow C’batch here for more information
