"That's a bad life / a bad life that you're living," sings Omar Apollo in the chorus of this new collaboration with Kali Uchis. This dreamy track feels like something out of a Disney princess film — the single, plucking electric guitar riff on the verses gives way to the chorus' resounding string section, and Uchis' beautiful harmonies stack up dreamily against Apollo's silky leading vocals. In the track's swelling bridge, the string section reaches its height and Kali Uchis takes control of the singing with a stunning vocal layering that's so pretty it almost makes you dizzy. On "Bad Life," Uchis is given the space to really shine vocally and show off her vocal versatility.
The song's beautiful simplicity is so captivating that it almost distracts us from the truly messed-up relationship dynamic Apollo describes. It's disarming in a way that makes you question the sincerity of the lyrics, making you wonder: How bad can the life they're living be when it sounds this good?
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
