L.A.’s hip-hop/pop artist Badari recently dropped his debut EP, entitled Dream Journal.
Formerly known as B.A.D., Badari is an Indian-American singer and songwriter. Born in Bangalore, India, when Badari was three-years-old, he and his mother immigrated to America, taking up residence in Texas. After becoming US citizens, Badari and his mother moved frequently because of her job. This quasi-nomadic existence molded Badari’s ability to make new friends and adapt.
In 2011, Badari released his mixtape, From Start To Finish. The alternative demo earned affirmation from Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and Lil Wayne. He followed with another mixtape, called Uncaged, accumulating more than 50,000 downloads on datPiff. Badari followed one year later with his third mixtape, A Journey Beyond.
Badari then took a protracted break from music. Dream Journal signifies his reappearance in a big way.
Dream Journal comprises five-tracks, beginning with “Things I See In My Dream,” opening on gleaming swirls of colors flowing into an emo-infused trap groove radiating smooth R&B textures. I love Badari’s creamy falsetto on the chorus, giving it dreamy gliding tones of gorgeous coloration.
“The Day Before Tomorrow” rides a tight trap beat with a pulsing bass line and crisp percussion. Badari’s flow, half-spoken half-rapped, imbues the tune with deep timbres delivering smart wordplay, as a wailing tone rides stridently in the backdrop. “When A Tree Falls” travels on a more measured groove, with trembling exotic flavors. Badari’s flow features rapid-fire episodes, slick with polished surfaces.
“House Of Mirrors” rides on eerie-flavored synths, imbuing the tune with tension. Chimes and flushes of droning textures inject the harmonics with layers of sonic surfaces. The last track on the EP, “Ocean,” is my favorite because of the dreamy, cashmere melodic insertions, like psychedelic washes of new wave prismatic hues on echoing resonance.
Dream Journal showcases Badari’s ability to blend a variety of sonic elements – hip-hop, pop, and R&B – into tasty concoctions.
