Experimental jazz collective BADBADNOTGOOD have just released a double single featuring tracks “Goodbye Blue” and “Glide,” the latter being an instrumental reimagining of the former, which features vocals from Jonah Yano. This cerebral pair of songs is the first we’ve heard from the band this year, following a slew of singles in 2019 and their expansive 2016 album IV. This is also their second collaboration with Jonah Yano in recent history, proving that the two artistic entities have a clear chemistry. Moreover, “Goodbye Blue” and “Glide,” also referred to as “Goodbye Blue Pt. 2” are excellent companion pieces that show the band’s profound ability to both bring the most out of their collaborators and shine bright on their own.
“Goodbye Blue” kicks off with a heavenly instrumental under Jonah’s meditative vocals, quickly shifting into a more hectic storm of jazz noise. The soothing guitar plucks are accompanied by trippy keys and wailing saxophone runs along with deep horn chords. When paired with Jonah’s eerie echoes repeating “you were bound to run,” the result is both daunting and beautiful. The track’s other half, “Glide (Goodbye Blue Pt. 2)” continues with a strong saxophone voice and more warm keyboard layers. Then around the two minute mark comes a funky instrumental breakdown with a pulsing drum beat and accelerated rhythms. The scene grows to a brilliant cacophony of a climax before ending, an exciting and chaotic way to match the meditative effort earlier led by Yano.
With yet another addition to their long catalogue of inventive crossover masterpieces, it’s clear that BADBADNOTGOOD haven’t lost their touch. They are still all too capable of crafting methodical and ambitious jazz music, whether with the help of a vocalist or on their own. Their sheer talent and unpredictability keeps them in a constant, codependent cycle with each other; it’s hard to decide which is more enamoring.
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