Bobbing Provides Unique Sound in New EP

Photo by Madelyn Deutch

Hailing from the indie-math-rock group Feed Me Jack, which also birthed indie-pop superstar Still Woozy, Bobbing, a self-described “pedal dork” and “plant person”, has created one of the most eclectic EP’s I’ve ever encountered. I don’t consider myself enough of a musical authority to give “Thank You For Singing to Me” a genre, but I can affirm that you’ve never heard anything thing like it. Each song is a frenetically paced puzzle, seemingly randomly pieced together with bridges, solo’s, and transitions. Robert Ross, the man behind Bobbing, uses a deep arsenal of instruments, creating what I could only describe as Psychadelic-Indie-Math-Pop. From my lack of ability to aptly name a genre, it’s obvious that there’s no way I, a person who last played a musical instrument in seventh grade, could truly analyze the magical sounds within this EP. So, instead of posing my way through an article and making a bunch of pretentious claims about how I “get” the music, I decided to be honest with myself, and visit the source of these wild and beautiful sounds himself.

After a few scheduling shenanigans, I eventually hopped on a FaceTime call with Robert  (Bob) Ross. The majority of our conversation happened while he was on the freeway which made for an interesting meeting, but as we talked, it felt oddly comfortable. We settled right into a conversation about Bobbing’s living situation, which seems like a proper introduction. The young artist was traveling back to his home in Berkeley, California which he shares with a roommate and co-collaborator who goes by the striking moniker of Cole. For years he had been located in Oakland, but after a trip to Mexico and a sudden realization, he decided to make a move. His day to day life consists of being a part-time horticulturalist, creating lots of music with his accomplices, and talking to his girlfriend who lives in Boulder. His life may seem unassuming, but I think that’s part of his charm, a man who may not stand out on a crowded street creating music that stands out in a crowded industry.

The majority of the instruments (besides drums) on this EP were all made by Ross in his studio, working with an intense variety of self-programmed and pedal-altered synths, guitars, and bass. He even described his music as “For the ADHD crowd” at one point, citing the fast-paced and ever-changing nature of his songs. When I asked about his style of work, it was made it clear that his process for the EP was a bit scattered.

“It wasn’t really worked on in any linear way”, said Bobbing, noting that he would start a myriad of musical projects, and then at some point, “... would realize that the end of this thing goes well with the beginning of another thing.” Eventually, Ross would slowly stitch the two arrangements together, or resort to finding a smooth transition between the two. When listening to “Thank You for Singing to Me”, the meeting points of each piece are clearly expressed, but it comes across completely coherent. It’s rare that you reach a point, if ever, where a song feels like its made up of fragments. Tracks like “Shrugging Match” are flowchart-Esque, moving from Grizzly Bear-like hums to fast-paced vocals over a soft guitar, to an electronic breakdown, and then finally to a crescendo to an ending that incorporates small details found all throughout the track. It’s also worth noting that this is all done while manufacturing a musically perfect transition into the next track, “Yaskool”, a bouncy ballad with just as many interchanging parts as the previous song. 

I’m always fascinated by what artists I love enjoy listening to in their free time, so a good portion of our conversation was about what Ross felt was influencing, or just what he was listening to at the time he made things. Immediately, he brought up disco and boogie, naming Sister Sledge and Heatwave as two artists that he loved. This was followed up by an answer that was even more surprising: “I’ve been into 80’s yacht rock a lot”, Bobbing said. “I thought that shit was so corny, but I recently have been able to appreciate the arrangement, and then appreciate all the sounds too.” Arrangement was something he talked about with disco too, and after listening to some of the artists he recommended, I see why he finds these genres so intriguing and inspirational. Both styles incorporate lots of synth and busy songs, creating those “infectiously groovy” soundscapes that he previously mentioned, something very similar to what he does in his own music.

Whether it's Bobbing, Heatwave, or Greg Phillinganes, there is a shared ability to utilize a deep arsenal of instruments, sounds, and melodies, while not overwhelming an audience. Luckily enough, Ross blessed me with a vast Spotify playlist he’s described as, “Big and filled with a lot of random stuff, but it's all good stuff (at least I think so).” This gives you a chance to not only listen to Bobbing’s own music but the music that he surrounds himself with and enjoys. I think that’s one of the fastest and most interesting ways to try and understand an artist.

After releasing an EP this summer, it’s hard to expect more content right away, but the multi-talented artist talked about a potential goal of releasing monthly singles. I inquired about the possibility of an album, and was met with this. “I don’t think I’m gonna put out an album any time soon… I think if I put out an album it would be something I would want to be on another level, maybe something more consistent.” While it’s disappointing to know that we may not hear more from Bobbing soon, at the same time it’s exciting to think of what could be considered “another level” for someone who has already created such beautiful work. At the moment though, Ross isn’t focused on recording or songwriting- all focus has been placed onto an upcoming show on November 15th, at New Parish, where he’ll be opening for Still Woozy. The live performance will include all new material, as well as a four-piece band including many members from Feed Me Jack.  Bobbing also assured me that the live experience would significantly deviate from his studio recordings. “I would never try to recreate a recorded song”, he told me. We didn’t get too much of a chance to discuss what variations he would be pulling out, so we’ll just have to wait and see what type of adjustments are decided on for the live shows. Regardless, I have the utmost confidence that anyone in attendance will be blown away by the mastery of sound that will be exhibited.

If you need any more incentive, then let me appeal to your Pathos. Ross was exceedingly kind, funny, and accommodating to someone who was conducting their first interview. Artists like him are the types of people we have an obligation to support in the indie community. 

If any of this piqued your interest at all, you can stream Bobbing’s EP “Thank You for Singing to Me”, follow him on Instagram @_bobbing, or if you live in the bay and are somehow reading this, attend he and Still Woozy’s show at the New Parish on the 15th of November.