by Giliann Karon (@gilposting)
It’s getting worse. Decades upon decades of structural violence is compounding, and brittle institutions are buckling under their own weight. What sparked protests years ago is now business as usual, and the impending apocalypse lurks in every corner. On “Stressed in Paradise,” Buddie, the longtime project of Dan Forrest, flees to nature to find peace, but remains tethered to their phones, engrossed in clickbait and violence.
Forrest, a native Philadelphian, now lives in Vancouver, where colossal mountain ranges stand in opposition to human impermanence. Towering trees and snow-capped peaks have long predated war and synthesizers, and god willing, they’ll outlive them. Buddie weaves themes of environmental justice and “the grind” throughout their catalog, which consists of two records and an EP.
Their upcoming third album, Glass, grapples with the unshakeable gnaw of late-stage capitalism. Funneled through sunny melodies and grunge pop vocals, Buddie does what they do best – fighting apathy with collectivism and wrapping it up in an earworm.
Glass is out Oct. 17 on Crafted Sounds
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