New Music: Bino Bames – Strange

Anti-nostalgia and hints of regret flow through each moment and note of Strange, a particular high point of Bino Bames’ Starfall Vol. 1 EP.

Though mainly based in London for the last three years, Bames is a Vegas-born half-Filipino, half-American musician and singer-songwriter. That background may be why he captures an outsider aesthetic on Strange – there is a surface glamour to the vocals and smooth sheen of the arrangement. Bames doesn’t hide the dystopian nature and grittiness of the lyrics; the difficult subject matter is treated sensitively, as isolation and addiction lead the track’s protagonist to experience alienation and exclusion.

“The main tragedies in life are getting nothing you dreamed of or getting everything you dreamed of,” states Bames.

“I’m like third-generation Las Vegas,” he continues. “Its rare people are actually from there. Growing up there gave me a huge appreciation for showmanship, but it also showed me how to survive. Billion-dollar casinos surrounded by poverty and addiction – that contrast defines who I am. If I could survive Vegas, I can survive anything.”

Starfall Vol. 1 is out now and streaming on all major music services, including Spotify and Apple Music. Head to Instagram to learn more about the EP and Bames.