Colorado-based, genre-bending alternative collective NOT A TOY brings a bass-boosted and playful trap feel with their latest single “BAD MOOD.” Coupled with a haunting visual by director Hudson Bloom – this ironically upbeat release is an acknowledgement of broody days. Lead vocalist Branson Hoog shares that at the single’s core, “BAD MOOD”, is a playful nod to negative emotions.

Everyone has days where they are moody, off, agitated. It’s a part of the human experience. It’s not a song about overcoming these emotions and seeing a brighter day, but rather a realistic take on how we cope with these moods and the acceptance that it’s natural. In this sense “BAD MOOD” is universally relatable.

The perpetual bad mood is addressed in the lyrics, “You a quick fix like a bandage, can’t fix this can’t manage”, touching on how a fast lifestyle and relationships don’t fix anything.

“The past few years have felt really heavy. ‘BAD MOOD’ is a snapshot of where we have found ourselves in life recently. Although the lyrics are dark, the instrumental supports the song in a fun carefree way. It’s not about being triumphant or fixing your mood, but channeling that energy and not taking the darkness as seriously.”

– Branson Hoog, lead vocalist of NOT A TOY

A diverse assemblage of four creative artists whose ambitious music cross-pollinates bedroom pop, emotional melodies, aggressive rock, and trap, NOT A TOY is both band and collective.

Branson Hoog, Benji Spoliansky, Jeremy Marmor, and TJ Wessel are all beatmakers and producers. Art shows, tattoo culture, and streetwear are all part of their creative identity. These four high-school friends cut their teeth
skateboarding, breakdancing, and playing punk and emo gigs in Colorado.
Bandwagon Magazine declared the group’s self-titled debut EP “as bombastic as it is fearless.”

Haunted Publications called them nothing less than “a look into the future of music.”

And NOT A TOY is just getting started.

Be sure to listen to “BAD MOOD” across streaming services via Fearless Records.

Photo Credit: Sydney Jackson
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