OK Button - 'Beds'

Scottish outfit OK Button shares dark synth-pop with a poignant message on current single, ‘Beds’.

I often find it hard to connect with dreamy synth music, finding myself feeling lost within its textures for all the wrong reasons. The same goes for anything with cosmic or psych influences. One of many things I like about OK Button is that they explore forward-thinking dreamy textures in a really lovely way without losing gravity. The band anchor their listener within weightier sonic textures and despite the soft male-female vocal harmonies, there’s a melancholy there in the thought provoking lyrical theme that feels very grounding.

However, ’Beds’ sees OK Button bring out arguably their most mainstream and hooky sound yet. On this song in particular, it’s very easy to draw comparisons to other bands you like best within the indie pop/ synth pop genres. From Oh Wonder to Meadowlark, to little twinkles of Churches, to Canadian Indie Pop band Stars, ‘Beds’ showcases a very accessible sound. Not only is ‘Beds’ sonically on point, but the band are injecting sombre reflection on what we are doing to the planet and the vices of consumerism into their lyrical theme, with an ironic optimism that gives a lot more substance to a familiar sound.

On the track the band explains, ”We've become so consumed by technology and materialism that we're often totally distracted from what's happening right in front of us. ‘Beds’ reflects on how we go through the motions while the world is falling to pieces around us. It’s important that we acknowledge that in order to move forward. The chorus is darkly sarcastic but, on another level, it refers to having the strength to carry on when you're awake. Every day we wake up and have another shot at doing something useful which is a win.”

Sure, if like me you prefer more brooding, minimalist and angsty anti-pop atmospherics, tracks like ‘‘Chelsea Hotel #1’ carry this whole devastating, dark Daughter kind of vibe and 'the band’s debut single ‘The Message’ shows a unique style that is much harder to draw comparison to and may just be my favourite song of OK Button's so far. That’s what’s great about OK Button. This is a band who are composed of musicians who are very experienced in the industry and can dabble with a more commercial sound yet still go a little bit more left field, making them appealing to a lot of different listeners.

Words of Karla Harris