_{By Bryce Thacker}

I remember the moment I discovered Bad Luck Brigade like it was yesterday. There I was, doomscrolling in bed one night, when I stumbled upon a video detailing a few small artists from Utah. I don’t remember who else was covered, but I remember being absolutely blown away by one of them — that of course being Bad Luck Brigade.

Bad Luck Brigade is a self-described “Five Piece Hip Hop, Funk, Soul and Punk Fusion Band,” characterizing their sound as “if A Tribe Called Quest was on mushrooms” or “Shroom Bap.” Others have drawn comparison to groups like the Beastie Boys or Rage Against the Machine, and what I find so interesting about Bad Luck Brigade is that none of this entirely inaccurate.

Streaming platforms were first introduced to Bad Luck Brigade with their 2022 EP ANYTHING IN MODERATION, and from the moment the opening track “THANKS 4 TUNING IN” begins, the vibe of the album is very clear. It’s a chill instrumental track featuring very smooth lofi-esque keys and synths, a strong and driving bassline, and drums sporting an undeniable jazz flavor. This all takes place over multiple layers of conversation full of laughter, excitement, and quick remarks about being inebriated. You can’t really latch onto any one thing, and it’s kind of hard to tell what’s going on — like you’re at some weekend party, not really participating in a conversation, just listening to what’s going on around you. It’s a wonderful introduction to the sound and vibe of this EP.

But of course the sound is only half of the equation, there’s a lot to be said about the vocals and lyricism brought to the table by rapper/keyboardist Kilow. I think a great representation of how his elements combine with the overall sound can be heard on the track “GAMETIME.” It’s a fun and jazzy tune, and Kilow’s delivery on top of it is quick, deliberate, and satisfying. His flow has a very strong confidence to it that compliments the instrumental well.

A personal favorite of mine is “YOU MIGHT,” a song that explores themes of searching for purpose amidst the chaos and confusion of disillusionment. The bridge repeats the lyric “I need a place where I can make noise.” It’s a plea for expression and wanting to assert one’s existence in a world that feels so suffocating. On this track, I also can see a lot of the comparison to Rage Against the Machine; Kilow’s delivery on the track feels very “Zack de la Rocha,” with a mix of punk and classic hip hop.

The EP clocks in at around 16 minutes, with six tracks total. This is totally fine, not everything needs to be an hour-and-fifteen-minute-long double album. But I do find myself wishing for just a bit more length. It doesn’t necessarily need any more tracks — the six that are there are great — but I do think that a few of them could benefit from being a bit longer, like “REGROUP” or the aforementioned “GAMETIME.” These are two very well-made tracks, but I just find they *under*stay their welcome. I understand BLB probably don’t really want to pad tracks out with a bunch of fluff or anything, but I couldn’t help wanting to spend a bit more time with them.

In the end this is a great EP. It’s chill, smooth, and comfortable with just a tinge of perfectly executed chaos. Whether you’re a fan of punk rock, hip hop, or jazzy lofi beats to study to, you might benefit from checking this one out; it’ll be worth your time.

Make sure to follow Bad Luck Brigade on Instagram to stay up to date on all things BLB and give “YOU MIGHT” a quick listen below!