bitbird has released the 5th installment of their auditory runway, also known as Gouldian Finch. Containing 21 original songs from 29 notable electronic acts around the world, such as Wavedash, Laxcity, Pauline Herr, Ookay, Eastghost, OBLVYN, and many more, Gouldian Finch 5 is a diverse and forward-thinking collection of art bass music – a borderless genre used to describe expression-driven bass music meant to provoke feelings.
Founded out of the need for more creative freedom and built on the vision to create forever, bitbird is a record label that has always had an art-forward approach to bass music. Propelled by the unknown, bitbird is dedicated to carving out a space for forward-thinking electronic music, but the release of their new compilation album Gouldian Finch 5 marks the first time they’re defining it as art bass.
“art bass is not a formula or tied to specific rules; It’s more like a vision, a constant yearning to create something unique and bring something new to the electronic music scene. We believe most artists on bitbird are driven by this urge to express themselves in their own unique way, no matter what.”
The genre defies conventional categorization, unveiling electronic music filled with conceptual depth and innovative sonic choices, that is designed to evoke emotions beyond the traditional notion of “let’s party.” In other words, an ever-expanding, borderless space which aims to release art from the creative constraints of existing music genres.
“Back in the days when we started releasing melodic bass music on bitbird, the sound was often labeled as ‘future bass.’ We always thought ‘future’ implied forward thinking sounds. We saw this new and exciting movement as the future of bass music; an ever-evolving, innovative, and boundary-pushing approach. However, over time, the genre grew stricter borders and kind of got stuck. It became a very specific (commercialized) formula, which is not what we personally had in mind. This is why we created the term art bass.”
The Gouldian Finch compilations have always showcased bitbird ’s love for all music. The first volume of bitbird’s sonic runway was released not long after San Holo and Thorwald van den Akker founded the label. With names ranging from artists such as San Holo, DROELOE, Taska Black, and Just a Gent, to more indie-leaning artists such as Golden Vessel, The Nicholas, and Flaws, and neoclassical artists like Analogue Dear, the compilation series have always been a diverse body of work representing the creative freedom the label grants both their artists as well as themselves.
Gouldian Finch 5 includes 21 songs from 29 artists including Wavedash, Tails, Darby, wes mills, Deliriousninja, JB Hain, OBLVYN, barking continues, Synova, Byegone, Scro, Eyezic, TetraTara, San Holo, Molly Otto, Sam Day, Laxcity, Dillistone, Pauline Herr, joegarratt, MELVV, Nikita the Wicked, Daktyl, Red Fingers, Ookay, Muira, Eastghost, kittito, and eunki.