Medieval state of mind - Bardcore, Tavernwave & 1670 Netflix series š¶šŖš°
Let's listen to some medieval-ized music together! | MC #71
Hello,
Howās your January going so far? Mine is a bit chaotic, but luckily, so far so good. Something that has been boosting our moods lately, here in Poland, is the combo of snow and sun šØļøāļøāļø. Thereās much more light during the day, and these minus degrees became bearable.
And what is the weather situation where you are? How are you holding up?
Ok, now let's read & listen!
*If youād like to skip reading go ahead and jump straight into todayās playlist: Medieval state of mind - Bardcore, Tavernwave šŖš¶š°, which you can follow / hit ā” button (Save to Your Library) on Spotify:
1670 Netflix series
What ignited the spark for todayās issue was the moment when I heard the medieval version of "The Final Countdown" while binge-watching the "1670" Netflix series.
It made me start digging for moreā¦ and thatās how I got into a Medieval state of mind šš°š¶. Iāve heard some Bardcore before, but Iāve never really paid attention to who Iām listening to, and I've never taken a step forward.
What I freshly discovered is that medieval-style music is a really nice alternative for focus music to work to.
Algal The Bard
He was the first one who made my jaw drop. Iām truly speechless about his musical skills and how amazingly he interprets songs that seem to be from a completely different world.
āWhat I enjoy most about Bardcore is that I can close my eyes and imagine being in a medieval tavern playing for a drunk public wanting to dance!ā says Algal (otherwise known as full-time musician Ćlvaro GalĆ”n). āBut from a more realistic perspective, I love to investigate the sounds of the past.ā
ā punk-rocker.com
Given his mad multi-instrumentalist genius, it shouldnāt be any surprise that Algalās YouTube channel has around half a million subscribers. In each of his uploads, you can see how he smoothly shifts from one instrument to another, using lute, xaphoon, viola da gamba, bouzouki, and more.
Allegedly Algal is a "leading light of the Bardcore movement since the mid-2010s". The biggest recognition he got after publishing his versions of SOADās "Toxicity", and "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica.
And hereās my personal favorite - his cover of Iron Maidenās "Fear of the Dark". Go ahead, and give it a listen!
Bardcore vs. Tavernwave
Is there a difference between these genres?
Wikipedia says that these are two different names of the same microgenreā¦
Bardcore[a] or tavernwave is a musical microgenre that became popular in 2020, consisting of medieval-inspired remakes of popular songs
ā Wikipedia
ā¦but many Reddit users wouldnāt agree with that statement.
I did some research here and there and found out that while both Bardcore and Tavernwave share a common thread of drawing inspiration from medieval and folk elements, there are nuanced differences that distinguish the two genres.
Bardcore often focuses on adapting existing contemporary songs into a medieval or Renaissance style, employing instruments like lutes, mandolins, and bagpipes to create a medieval-sounding atmosphere š°. The emphasis is on reimagining popular tunes through a historical lens, transporting listeners to a medieval court or a troubadour's performance.
the charm of Bardcore lies in the fact that its creators donāt take themselves too seriously: āTheyāre not trying to do some authentic recreation of what a medieval song sounded like,ā
ā i-d.vice.com
Tavernwave, on the other hand, is more about creating original compositions that evoke the spirited ambiance of a bustling medieval tavern. It captures the essence of communal revelry, utilizing a fusion of traditional folk instruments and modern electronic elements to craft an immersive experience. Tavernwave often incorporates sounds like clinking tankards š», lively chatter š£ļø, and the stomping of feet to recreate the lively atmosphere of a medieval inn, making it more thematic and centered around a specific setting.
In essence, while Bardcore leans towards reinterpretation and adaptation of contemporary songs into a medieval style, Tavernwave tends to be more original and immersive, crafting entirely new compositions that transport listeners to a specific medieval or fantasy environment. Both genres, however, contribute to the broader movement of bringing historical and fantastical elements into modern music, creating a unique and engaging listening experience for their audiences.
Some say that the popularity of Bardcore and Tavernwave are among the best things to come out of the coronavirus year 2020 š¦ .
Beedle The Bardcore vs. Cornelius Link
Who is the Father of Bardcore? šš° Some say itās London-based Beedle The Bardcore, and some say Cornelius Link. Both of them gained huge popularity in 2020, gaining hundreds of thousands of subscribers on YouTube. And both of them are skilled composers and musicians who make cover versions of the worldās most famous hits in a medieval way.
Below is a 2-hour-long mixtape of the best 90's hip hop in medieval style. You can hear medieval-ized versions of such classics like "Still Dre", "Ready Or Not", "Gangstaās Paradise", or "Xxplosive".
And hereās my favorite one - a medieval take on Justin Timberlakeās "Cry Me A River".
Cornelius Linkās version of "Pumped Up Kids" by Foster The People went viral in 2020, introducing Bardcore genre to a wider audience.
In one of the interviews, Cornelius explained why he doesnāt go for authentic medieval covers:
āI'm totally inspired by that kind of music, but there are different reasons why I don't imitate it. First of all, I'm not an expert in that field and there are many, many rules authentic medieval music follows -- the tone sequence and harmonics, for example. I want to experiment with and combine different styles like folk, pagan, fantasy and soundtrack to create the sound I want, so I don't exclusively commit to medieval music only.ā
ā i-d.vice.com
Hildegard von Blingin'
Sheās one of the earliest influential Bardcore artists, known for her brilliant medieval covers of many of the worldās famous songs, like Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" or āHouse Of The Rising Sunā by The Animals.
Hildegard von Blinginā is a Canadian YouTuber that for sure knows how to sing and take the listener on a musical time-travel adventure. I admire Hildegardās witty way of changing the lyrics and rhythms to fit the medieval style.
And here are my two favorite covers of Dolly Partonās "Jolene" and Gotyeās "Somebody That I Used To Know":
Thereās also a little something for Baldurās Gate 3 lovers!
Middle Ages and Medieval Bops
There are tons of different YouTube channels with medieval covers, but these two definitely stand out from the crowd - Middle Ages by a Latvian YouTuber, and Medieval Bops. They often pick songs that you canāt possibly imagine to ever sound medieval-ishā¦ and cover them so damn well that they sound way better than in the original version.
Cottagewave
I found out that thereās also something called Cottagewave, and supposedly it uses a bit more synthesized and chill sounds. Some say that itās a subgenre of Bardcore. You know, for me, it is not important at all to label everything and divide it into limited groups. But hey, if the people of the Internet want to do it, I wonāt intervene, I really donāt mind it.
That's all for now, folks! I hope you enjoyed this medieval-ized adventure. Let me know what you think, and if you have some focus music to recommend yourself.
Have a great week.
Truly Yours,
Wow! What a fantastic deep dive on genres of music that I never knew existed, thanks Stygi! So many of these were fantastic! I could definitely see myself adding some of these artists to my focus music playlists.
As someone who actually listens to medieval music on the regular, I can't believe that I've never even heard of bardcore or tavernwave. Nice work, Stygi! Can't wait to check these out.