badsoma has been carving out their own lane with a sound that hits somewhere between raw honesty and the kind of slow-burn energy that sticks with you long after the song ends. Their latest work pushes that mix even further… darker in places, sharper in others but still carrying that emotional pull that made them stand out in the first place. There’s a real sense of intention behind what they’re building and you can tell they’re in that moment where a band really starts defining who they are. We got the chance to talk about how the new songs came together, what’s been driving the shift in tone, and where they see badsoma heading next.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! I’m looking forward to the self-titled EP, but let’s start with “Coffee Pot.” You’ve called it a “distillation” of your sound. What was brewing (pun fully intended) when this song came together?
(Starlit) I wrote “Coffee Pot” a couple of years ago about someone, but I do not remember who. I ought to thank them for the pain and inspiration. I had not been playing guitar for long, hence why the chord structure is very simple with a focus on rhythmic changes. When I brought my demo track of the song to the band, they absolutely transformed its somber, gritty vibe into an absolute anthem. We call it a “distillation” of our sound because it really highlights each of our strengths as musicians. From the aggressive drums, to the airy violins and lush harmonies, everyone gets a “moment to shine”.
The self-titled EP arrives on November 14. What made now the right time to define this version of badsoma?
(Lindsey) badsoma, to me, has always represented the musical equivalent of a patchwork quilt. We’ve been working over the past year on discovering how we all fit together. Take me for example: I’m the latest member to join, and being a violinist in an indie rock band often meant sonically feeling like a sewn-on Frankenstein arm. From all of us, it’s taken a lot of work and experimentation and openness. It’s hard to explain, but at some point, rather recently really, we just clicked. We harmonized on a musical and interpersonal level, and in the wake, blended genres and sounds in ways I’d never imagined. And I’m so glad that this EP can live as a snapshot of that moment.
This all started as a solo project for Armin before morphing into a six-piece collective. What moment made you realize this wasn’t a “me” project anymore; it was an “us”?
(Armin) I think that moment came sometime after the release of Kicking and Screaming, our last EP. That project was made with my then partner, Sarrah Wolfe, but while we were working on the record the wheels started to come off. And once the recording was done, there was nothing left of us. It felt like the project was also finished and the EP just sat there for months without me being able to touch the mixes. That’s when I met Braden, Stalit, and reconnected with Donny. Playing music together became a way for me to figure out what I was going through — as clichéic as that sounds.
The band’s origin story feels very post-pandemic LA underground. How did that scene shape your early sound and sense of community?
(Braden) I feel like ever since the beginning we were on the same page and made an effort to try and stand out. The pandemic obviously put everybody into a box and sort of this waiting period for a couple of years. I think that naturally spawns feelings of wanting to step away from normalcy, which was, and maybe still is, chronic isolation from each other and our communities. Although everyone was separated, we all went through a period of time that was highly impactful to everybody “together”. The stars aligned when we united as a band because not only were we, as artists, looking to connect again, but non-artists and concert-goers were searching for the same thing. It feels like not only us musicians seized that opportunity, but our fans and friends and family also leaned into it with us.
With so many voices in the creative process, how do you keep it collaborative without falling into creative chaos or is the chaos the secret ingredient?
(Armin) I think we’re always figuring it out. With the music we’ve made together so far, we start from a place of, yes, chaos, but then we refine those ideas. We iterate obsessively until that chaos morphs into something that’s truly ours, collaborative, and cohesive. So yes, I guess like you said, chaos is an essential part of it, but it’s not where we end up, rather where we start.
If each member brought one non-musical ingredient to the band’s chemistry (like “sarcastic optimism” or “late-night snack enthusiasm”), what would those be?
(Armin) Well, I have two cats who are always hanging out when we make music, so that’s what I bring to the table. Braden makes the best moonshine you’ve ever had, but don’t ask him for a recipe – it’s a secret. Donny always brings donuts from around the corner – he’s also always keeping us organized. Without him, I would’ve left so many instrument cables in so many rehearsal spaces. Starlit and Ana are always setting the standard for style. Starlit also brings dance moves you haven’t seen since 1985. Lindsey is the wizard behind our social media. She’s always coming up with ideas for content, which I appreciate so much because I’m personally allergic to social media…so someone has to do it.
You’ve cited the importance of being “environmentally and politically conscious.” How do those values manifest beyond the lyrics — in your day-to-day as a band?
(Armin) I think each of us is, in our own way, doing what we can. Some of us are locally active in the climate movement. As a band though, that’s harder to answer. Luckily for us, our carbon footprint is very small because we haven’t gone on a real tour, and most of the shows we play are right here in Los Angeles. When we do start to tour, I think that’s something we will have to wrestle with. It’s not going to be easy, but for me it’s important that we live out our values not just in our art, but in the way we conduct ourselves as a band.
Last one: If the world had to understand badsoma through just one lyric from this EP… one line that says “this is who we are”, what would it be?
(Armin) I think for me it has to be “in my mind you have a home, it’s the rent you must bring from “Coffee Pot.” I think the songs on this collection are all sort of preoccupied with other people. My band mates might disagree but I see us collectively trying to make sense of our relationship through these songs — whether with a parent, or a loved one. I think Starlit’s lyrics really capture that tension for me.
Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/