California based musician BADSOMA has had a very busy 2022, dropping three singles in the space of 7 months (all by himself, too).

Following this slew of fresh releases, BADSOMA unveiled his debut EP in September, Heat and Disorder. It features four tracks, all of which take inspiration from bands such as LCD Soundsystem, Tame Impala and Radiohead.

Within it is his third single, “Violet Hue.”

“Violet Hue” is a very dreamy cut and is a lot more psychedelic than the rest of the songs BADSOMA has been making recently. Right from the get-go, we get a wall of 60s Pink Floyd inspired guitars that fill the track with a trippy atmosphere. These tones warp and bend throughout the rest of the intro, affirming the indie-pop psychedelia road trip we’re in for. While the early Pink Floyd sound is very much at the forefront, I could also see this intro be used in the Blue Weekend album by Wolf Alice with its light, airy dream-pop sound. 

In the verses, the instruments are stripped back a bit, allowing BADSOMA to deliver his verse with his soft timbre. The drums stay in their place and ensure the song meanders to its conclusion, which is done very well. The guitars continue to warp round the audience’s ears before one last chord cuts it off.

While there isn’t much in the way of lyrics in “Violet Hue,” the lyrics we do get are rather interesting. We are told of a lady that works at a jeweler’s, but the rest of the song is up for interpretation. The cryptic nature of both the verses and the chorus make “Violet Hue” stand out from other indie pop songs that deal with personal woes or societal messages. 

Overall, the charming nature of the lyrics and the spacey guitars on “Violet Hue” left me with a positive, pleasant feeling that fans of trippy indie-rock will really dig.