Admittedly, I had never heard of a folktronica band before listening to Joel Porter’s new single “Bad Habits”, but that is the perfect descriptor.
There’s electronic prophecy to the pluckiness of the opening guitar riff that makes the impending beat feel as fulfilling as it is minimal, which may seem paradoxical, but it works. The composition reminds me of the inherent nostalgia found in Strfkr’s music that’s supported by synthesized orchestras and brass instruments in a way that feels warm and wrapped in a sheen plastic.
Porter writes that the song, “is about living in the constant state of an emotional hangover… totally apathetic and unable to pick yourself up and make the changes that would benefit your life… drifting/wishing for things to be different but choosing to stay safe instead of stepping into healthy change… ultimately surrendering to the idea of giving up.”
With tender vocals to boot, this song is a niche triumph that captures the best of indie aesthetics with off-kilter cinematics. There’s no good way to full categorize it, and there’s no need to. Just listen to it if you want to understand where it’s coming from.
“Bad Habits” is available now on major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, SoundCloud, and TIDAL.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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