Forgotten Garden – Bad Guy (2022)
With their EP Broken Pieces, Forgotten Garden helps us work through the different stages of bad relationships and breakups. Now, they are looking at a single character in their single ‘Bad Guy’. Using a pulsing bassline, finger-picked guitars and energetic drums, they tell the story of an attractive man whose charming exterior hides a soul that finds pleasure in breaking hearts.
Packed with the magnetic charm of the primary character, the single reflects on who he really is. Cheerful synths are contrasted by darker instrumentation to bring his duality to sonic life as the vocals explore the bad guy archetype. The nuanced and innovative approach to the topic by the band highlights their creativity and takes you on an unforgettable journey.
‘Bad Guy’ sweeps you into the melody from the first moment and has you swaying to the rhythm. There is a dreamy feeling to the synths that fills you with good vibes. There is a sighing feeling to the music that makes you think everything will be great. As the single progresses, the darker edges of the melody start to appear as you venture beneath the surface of the primary character. Through all of this, you feel the urge to sway to the music. The interplay between the cheery synths and the darker atmospheric guitars has been wonderfully crafted to keep you engaged while falling into the nuance of the tale.
While you sway and bop to the melody, Inês’ vocals pick up the sighing sense of the music. There is a detachment to the vocals like they are an outside observer who is simply narrating what they see. The verses are packed with the magnetic pull of the bad guy and the heat he leaves in his wake when he enters a room. This leads you to the chorus that peers beneath the surface to see someone who is not happy with their life and break people’s hearts to make him feel happy. There is a warning in the vocals that everyone should listen to and take note of.
Forgotten Garden sweeps you into the nuanced take of ‘Bad Guy’ as they sigh into atmospheric synths before diving beneath the surface. The music has a dreamy edge that fills you with good vibes only for the lower levels to bring a touch of darkness. The vocals have a detachment that objectively looks at the character and what lies beneath the charming façade.
Find out more about Forgotten Garden on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
