Ginkgo Balboa was founded by Mike Bednarsky and Ben Masbaum in 2019. Ben is the quiet genius responsible for the band's genre-bending sound, and Mike is the sultry singer and scribe who gives a face to the name. Bring together Ben, the multi-instrumentalist, with Mike, the wordsmith, and you have some cool indie-ish tracks that really bump. With eight singles between 2020’s debut EP Ginkgo Balboa, and the band’s forthcoming EP, Balloon Duty, the band has developed a following in praise of its nuanced, contemporary sound, which is rooted in catchy synth keyboard melodies, intricate guitar trills, and the pinballing of the duo's distinctive voices.
Early in its infancy, Ginkgo Balboa began representing a lifestyle that is adventurous yet easygoing. Featured on the band’s 2020 eponymous EP, its debut single, “The Other Day,” is an anthemic high-energy dance song, while its successor, “IDK Your Dog,” couldn’t be any more different–a woozy, dreamy slow jam. Since then, the band has pushed the envelope by seamlessly drawing influence from a swath of music genres but never straying too far from the pop sensibilities that give the band that de facto Millennial/Gen Z appeal. The group returned in the summer of 2021 with the single, “Cleaning House,” a cautionary tale on the perils of dating in today’s Internet-driven world, but with the backdrop of frenetic, pulsing instrumentation perfect for that of a 1970s roller rink disco. In 2022, after releasing the sleepy blues serenade “Department Store Chic,” Ginkgo Balboa caught the attention of Italian pop singer Isa, who featured the band on her song “Foreign Place,” which was distributed by her record label, Digital Mountains Music.
Ahead of the duo’s upcoming second EP Balloon Duty, the band kicked off 2023 with two new immersive singles - “Beach with My Lover” and “Good Night in the Middle of the Day.” The Balloon Duty era officially begins today, with the release of its first single, “Tie Me Down,” which is also the EP’s triumphant opening track, built by an unshakeable hook and confident guitar strides. The EP, which promises to keep listeners on their chlorine-scented toes with the help of featured artists, is very much a sequel to 2020’s Ginkgo Balboa, offering the same poolside decorum the duo has become known for providing. It’s a relaxed yet earnest revolver of synth-soaked tunes.
Balloon Duty will be available via all streaming platforms on Friday, July 28, 2023.
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