Thought Bubble – A Made Up World EP

I always look forward to new music from pals of the blog, Thought Bubble. There is something about the way they work that feels homespun and magical. Three people tucked away in the Shropshire hills, building strange sound worlds and letting the rest of us wander through them at our own pace. Chris Cordwell on synths, Nick Raybould on percussion, and Peter Gelf on vocals. A trio who never repeat themselves, even when you think you know their next move.

I’ve followed them for a while now. From the early instrumental records to the big shift that came with Gelf joining the fold. That moment opened up a whole new way of telling stories. You hear it on Universe Zero. You feel it on Mostly True. Yet A Made Up World does not lean on those albums for comfort. It glances back for half a second then pulls the shutters up on something more immediate and more human. Four songs. Four chances to step into a room that feels at once familiar and completely new.

Let’s get into it.

‘First Cigarette’ opens the EP with a slow burn (see what I did there). A patient build, a steady pulse, and a vocal that sounds like someone recalling a memory they are not sure they should share. The synths stretch out across the track like soft fabric, never crowding the space yet never falling away either. Raybould’s percussion keeps everything gently unsettled. Not tense, just alive. Thought Bubble are in no rush here. They give you room to settle in, to follow the turns at your own speed. The track invites you closer without ever forcing itself on you.

‘Cheat Codes’ shifts the mood immediately. The rhythm takes on a looser bounce, almost playful in the way it nudges the vocal forward. Gelf sounds more conversational here, like he is talking to someone across the table rather than performing for a crowd. Cordwell fills the space with synth details that flicker in and out of view. Mimicking computer game soundtracks but nothing showy. Just small touches that keep your ear engaged. Thought Bubble have always had a knack for letting the rhythm do the heavy lifting and you feel that again here. The whole thing flows with a steady swing that anchors the song beautifully.

‘Radio Mast’ feels like the moment the EP opens up. The melody lands instantly. The Bowie-esque vocal carries a calm confidence that pulls you right into its centre. The synth lines sweep around the edges of the song, giving it warmth without weighing it down. Nick’s percussion threads through everything with purpose, but it never steals focus. There is a clarity to this track that really stands out. It feels like the band are letting us see the framework behind their ideas, keeping everything grounded and letting the emotional core shine through.

‘Floating Up The Steeple’ closes the EP with a honed sense of elevation. The tempo sits back and the arrangement feels open enough to breathe yet detailed enough to reward a second, third, fourth listen. Synths rise in gentle waves while the tribal percussion hums underneath like a steady heartbeat. There is a hypnotic and meditative quality to this one that brings the whole release together. The final moments feel almost weightless, a soft release after everything that came before. Ending with a track like this shows real confidence.

A Made Up World is a small EP with a big presence. Grounded, human, and full of that unmistakable Thought Bubble character. You can hear three musicians working in complete trust with one another. Nothing feels rushed. Nothing feels forced. They give each idea the space it needs then move on before anything starts to fade.

A Made Up World is out now. You can check it out over on the Thought Bubble Bandcamp page.

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