A sonic collage of shapeshifting elements ranging from 8-bit sound bites you expect to hear in Mario, distorted electronics oscillating over the soundscape, DnB rhythms that get your foot tapping, honey drizzled synths, and anthemic pop punk melodies. That is what badxyou’s idiosyncratic sound is. A mish mash of all the best bits of countless genres over the years, forming a Jackson Pollock styled piece of art that’s both mesmerising and mind-boggling. They embrace the chaotic nature of the modern internet culture, taking it by the scruff of the neck and showcasing a fresh way to stay on form with current times.
Today they’ve collaborated with the renowned underground pop artist 8485 in BETTER as they openly confronts their bi-polar disorder, taking a deeply personal look at their issues in a poetically authentic manner. A buoyantly optimistic production masks the underlying lyrics, portraying an emotionally evocative sentiment that reads like a conscious stream of unfiltered thoughts of the complexities they face on a daily basis. The guitar riffs, reminiscent of Mr. Brightside, pierce through the electronics to amplify the emotional reverence.
However its the voices of badxyou and 8485 that make this piece stand out. They intertwine with one another to form a harmonious bond between pure tenderness and rough emotion. A juxtaposing pairing that’s the cherry on top of a fervent affair that I’ll be blasting on repeat for weeks on end.