Los Angeles-based musician, producer and visual artist Mal Not Bad shares their new single ‘No Worries’ and announces the release of their debut album This Is Your New Life, due for release later this year.
Mixed and mastered by James Krausse (Beyoncé, Porches, Margaret Glaspy), on ‘No Worries’ Mal Not Bad’s production feels bold and meticulously crafted – taking risks while preserving an accessible experience for the listener; blending familiar live instruments with exploratory tones and manipulated sounds.
Incorporating influence from sources including Feist, Aphex Twin, David Byrne, Brian Eno and Alex G, fragile guitar motifs chug away between writhing atmospheric flourishes and glitching percussion – all combining to form a truly distinctive backing for Mal Not Bad’s astute reflections on the difficulty of communication.
Of the new single, Mal Not Bad (they/them) went into more detail on the track’s lyrical inspiration: “‘No Worries’ is this convergence of a protest song and a reflection of the difficulty of communication. I wrote it around mid-pandemic during the chaos of our previous presidency, police brutality, riots, and the pandemic itself – this constant cycle of horrible headlines and events that always exists, though the landscape/names might shift. It points to the disarray that happens when words and photos/documentation lose their power and meaning – an intense cycle that feels almost impossible to shake and can be dwindled down to everyday conversations we have with the people immediately around us. Understanding this hopefully can slow ourselves down to listen and speak with intention and patience.”
Visually, Mal Not Bad’s forthcoming project focuses a lot on movement. ‘No Worries’ is accompanied by a video of a trio performances created by dancer and choreographer Alyssa Allen (Billie Eilish, Emmit Fenn), featuring solo improvisation by the choreographer as well. The video is co-directed by Mal Not Bad and director of photography Seannie Bryan (Weyes Blood, Blondshell, Skullcrusher).
This Is Your New Life:
- Far Gone
- AP
- No Worries
- Cycle
- Cycle (outro)
- Come On/Hard Times
- Inst II Pt. I
- Inst II Pt. II
- Life
- Mustang (feat. Junaco)
- Inst I
- Dodgeball
