Bad Jelly Collective is a homegrown musical operation residing at a rural studio in the Waitakere Ranges of New Zealand. The band consists of J.KO (drums) and Ben Clark (guitar/vocals) and they released a three-song EP entitled Bad Jelly. The EP goes by fast and is around ten minutes long.
They get going with the title track “Bad Jelly” and start with atmospheric and smooth grooves. The BPM is relatively slow which allows the feedback and pads to rise naturally against the drums and guitar. I liked the vocals when I heard them. A little after the one-minute mark the band rocks out. This however is really a chorus with a hook. It doesn't last long and goes back into the main groove and this time around there are ghostly vocals that repeat “something bad” as the song slowly fades out. “R&R” is next and has a relaxing reggae vibe but I wouldn’t consider this straight reggae. It just has a similar energy. This song has a defined verse and chorus. The vocals are smooth as the sings “Man I wish that I was free as the wind / Cast my mind out nice and thin / But like these rays off the sun / Constant as we spin / Round and round.” I loved the transition into chorus which feels uplifting and bright. This is the arguable highlight in the batch and has a relaxing but vibrant energy. The guitar solo towards the end is also really well done “From Within” is next and similar to the previous songs it has a slower and tranquil energy. The drums are consistent and reverb-laced guitars loom around while other indistinct vibrations and noises come in and out of the song. I loved the vocals on this song which are memorable and well-delivered. The harmonies are on point and create a heavy presence. As the song progresses the energy shifts. The drum patterns change, lead guitar is introduced and there’s a subtle breakdown. After the breakdown the song really starts to take off with an explosive section, another round of vocals and eventually fades out. This is a short EP but I heard enough to realize they are forming a signature sound. There are similarities between all the songs and Bad Jelly Collective knows how to deliver a song. Hopefully, this is just the beginning and I look forward to hearing more in the not too distant future.
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