You don't so really partake in a BADTALKERS song as much you get absorbed into it. The Compton, CA four-member clammer down with idiosyncratic sounding synths with more sought after indie-rock cornerstones and the outcome is an inexplicably precise uproar for modern independent music.
This dynamic collaboration amongst the members of BADTALKERS never seems to come up short-sited, as their extended play, "Sick Amor," continues to prove. With a sound character that earns descriptors like, foreboding, sensuous, and intoxicating, this latest contribution excels at embracing you in their dreamy world of electro-infused indie-rock that shines with an enamoring contour of some Hip-Hop nostalgia.
Here, the group's freshest single, "Dark Halls," is the variety of premeditated bounce inducing music that occurs when able artists identify and differentiate themselves from the status quo—they have afforded themselves a strain of progressive fraternized with indie-rock that would excel any night out on the city.
"Dark Halls" is tainted with a steady dance-inducing rhythm, crisp sounding compressed guitars, a full stereo vocal mix, and pulsating synths that feel like they've been broadcasted from the furthest expanses of our milky way. It only confirms this group is proficient when it comes to finding the perfect dynamics in their catalog of vibey wonderments. Richard Leon's doubled-up full stretched vocals glide through the focused arrangement, shaking up our foundations. "Watch what comes out of your mouth, we'll hold your tongue we'll rip it out," Leon warns, employing a shade of a threatening offense while the rhythm pumps out a knee-bending ether.
BADTALKERS admits that the music they make "...is true to ourselves. It makes a statement and doesn't really fall into what most bands are doing". It makes finding meaningful music we encounter from the radio sound like a pattern from the withdrawn past. Instead of cramming conventional regurgitated hooks and lacking production flares into an EP, BADTALKERS recognizes that "honesty and self-awareness are at the core of every BADTALKERS song," and it's for this reason this group is on a trajectory of up and up.
How did the four of you begin BADTALKERS together? How do you approach incorporating all of your musical interests together in such a cohesive manner?
We were all in previous projects and decided to form BADTALKERS when we started working with a new producer. We didn’t really fit in with other LA bands. For some reason they never really fucked with us, so we decided to name the band BADTALKERS. We all just hang out in a studio and write what sounds good to us. We’ll all just build off of an idea, add on or pick at it till it starts to make sense.
What do you feel are the most substantial anchor points in your music's temper and personality that sets you apart from your musical peers?
What sets us apart from other artists is that it’s hard to pigeonhole us. We don’t really sit in one lane, and rather just sit in our own sound-wise. We incorporate elements of hip-hop, indie rock, pop, and try to do something unique, and fresh.
If your group could collaborate with anyone out of the contemporary music scene, who would you choose to do it with, and why?
Snoop Dogg - very unique vocal sound and production that would compliment ours.
Do you have any core messages you always wish to inspire in the audience of your music? Are there any new up and coming releases we should keep an eye out for later this year?
We’re always about just staying true to ourselves, and hope that everyone else will be inspired to do so. Creating a platform that stands for something and using it to provide something positive and authentic for people. We’re releasing some fun remixes and mixtape type shit for the rest of the year while we continue to write for the next EP.
What has been keeping you inspired throughout 2020?
There’s definitely tons of shit going on in the world, it’s hard to not be inspired. We experience something new every day and use that as inspiration.