Bounte brings a compelling twist to electronic music. Elements of IDM, hip-… Read Full Bio ↴Bounte brings a compelling twist to electronic music. Elements of IDM, hip-hop, electro, jazz, pop, classical, and rock, combine for a range of sounds, from collage-like songs that groove easily, to inventive selections for listeners who long to dig deeper. Pulling from a well of unique inspiration, Bounte artfully brings new vision into this constantly changing genre.

Chicago producer Dean Dunakin is responsible for Bounte’s original noise. Dean began playing the trumpet at an early age, ensuring his sound would forever be rooted in clear notes of jazz and blues. Like most artists, though, Dean’s interests aren’t dormant in one realm of creativity. As the digital age began, the bleeps and clicks of the Apple IIe called to Dean, stirring his gift for hearing rhythm and bass where others only find noise. This fascination, along with a growing affinity for computers through a degree in digital painting, led to a natural adoption of the computer as his instrument of choice. Drawing from his classical and jazz training, and Chicago’s own rich musical history, Dean brings a unprecedented sophistication to electronic music, composing tracks that offer something different to every ear.

“Composing a great song is like creating a memory—capturing emotion in space and time.”
— Bounte

This music comes naturally to Dean. Feeling the rhythm and bass in his very bones, he arranges tracks that get the sound out into the world. In some cases melody and lyrics come first, but often it starts with a bass guitar line, or maybe a simple guitar or keyboard progression. Dean sometimes tosses samples into an arrangement on his computer and moves them around, like finger paint. He works these riffs and tracks broadly until he finds a satisfying groove, listening to it over and over and tweaking until it all falls into place.

Bounte debuted with the album, One, which was well-received in 2007. Featuring subtle layers, thick basslines, airy vocals, complex beats, and sophisticated synths, One offers a complex sound that listeners won’t soon forget. Soon, live/DJ sets and an internet distribution through Positron Records helped land Bounte on the local music scene, soon becoming popular with a world-wide audience. Following up with the aggressively beat-specific but delicately diverse EP Maximal, Bounte remains unrooted in any particular genre or time.

Bio by Marissa Yardley

Going Nowhere
Bounte Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Clouds so swift, the rain won't lift
Gates won't close, the railings froze
So get your mind off wintertime
You ain't going nowhere
Ooooo ride me high
Tomorrows the day my bride's gonna come
Oooo are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair

Buy me a flute, and a gun that shoots
Tail gates and substitutes
Strap yourself to a tree with roots
You ain't going nowhere
Ooooo ride me high
Tomorrows the day my bride's gonna come
Oooo are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair
Well I don't care how many letters they sent
The morning came and the morning went
So pack up your money, and pick up your tent
You ain't going nowhere
Ooooo ride me high
Tomorrows the day my bride's gonna come
Oooo are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair
And genghis khan he could not keep
All his men supplied with sleep
We'll climb that hill no matter how steep
When we get up to it
Ooooo ride me high
Tomorrows the day my bride's gonna come
Oooo are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair
Ooooo ride me high
Tomorrows the day my bride's gonna come

Oooo are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bounte's song "Going Nowhere" describe a situation where the clouds are moving quickly, yet the rain lingers on and the gates and railings are frozen shut. Despite the sense that time appears to be standing still, the singer is urging the listener to not get trapped in their current state of mind and think beyond the wintertime as they are "not going anywhere." The lyrics then take on a dreamlike quality, as the singer is transported to a place of freedom and possibility, where they can "ride high" and anticipate the arrival of their bride the next day. This image is repeated throughout the song, as the singer longs to be free and unrestrained, unfettered by letters, money, or expectations.

The lyrics draw on a number of different images and metaphors to convey a sense of disconnect and otherness. The idea of clouds and rain being out of sync, and gates and railings being frozen, creates a sense of stagnation and inertia, as if the world has stopped moving. The singer's desire to escape these limitations is expressed through the dreamlike imagery of the "easy chair," and the idea of being launched into the sky, free and unburdened.

Overall, the lyrics to "Going Nowhere" express a sense of restlessness and longing, a yearning for freedom and the possibility of something new. The lyrics use vivid and imaginative language to create a dreamlike atmosphere, transporting the listener to a place of endless possibility.

Line by Line Meaning

Clouds so swift, the rain won't lift
The situation is bad and nothing seems to be improving

Gates won't close, the railings froze
The situation is stuck and immovable

So get your mind off wintertime
Stop worrying about the problems

You ain't going nowhere
You're not making any progress

Ooooo ride me high
Hopeful and optimistic about the future

Tomorrows the day my bride's gonna come
Anticipating a positive change in the near future

Oooo are we gonna fly
Hopeful that things will improve dramatically

Down in the easy chair
Relaxing and enjoying the moment

Buy me a flute, and a gun that shoots
Expressing a desire for simple pleasures and protection

Tail gates and substitutes
Metaphor for making do with what you have

Strap yourself to a tree with roots
Finding stability in difficult circumstances