Indie-Pop Outfit Peach Tree Rascals Blurs Genre And City Lights On 'Not OK'

Indie-Pop Outfit Peach Tree Rascals Blurs Genre And City Lights On 'Not OK'




By Carson Mlnarik


Lay down vocals, film a music video, design new merch, play a number of video games; nevermind the coronavirus pandemic, it’s corporation as typical for Los Angeles five-piece Peach Tree Rascals. From under the same roof, the up-and-coming collective has stayed hard at work on their breezy pop-R&B bops, sunny visuals, and rigorously chill Instagram aesthetic — making an appearance on the On My Block Season 3 soundtrack, making a line of hoodies, and dropping two new singles and videos, all while social distancing at their communal residence. Although living as roommates isn’t just a means of boosting efficiency in an industry that has been all yet upended; this has habitually been their way of doing things. “Quarantine lifestyle is similar to the way we were living before it happened,” vocalist Tarrek Abdel-Khaliq tells MTV News. “Staying in the residence and using our time just to play video games, create, and make music and videos.”


Their vibe might sound laid-back, nevertheless their grind is anything nevertheless. Right after first hearing producer Dominic Pizano craft what would become the Peach Tree Rascals sound, they have pursued their DIY brand feverishly since high school, dropping 11 singles and videos since 2018, scoring a label deal with 10K Assignments, and making a population of like-minded Rascals, as they lovingly call their fans, with more than 1.2 million monthly Spotify listeners.


The moniker Peach Tree Rascals came intuitively, either “pulled out of thin air” or “given to us by the stars,” depending on which member you ask, and the order consists of producer and mixer Pizano, Abdel-Khaliq, fellow rappers and singers Issac Pech and Joseph Barros, and creative director Jorge Olazaba. Their sound bounces between funk, rap, and dream pop on tracks like “Mango” and “Violet,” sustaining a cohesiveness through cascading vocals, mellow beats, and with recurring lyrical themes of love, disappointment, and hope. There’s little ego in the categorize thanks to the natural way their collective came with each other — they met while attending high school in San Jose. (In fact, their first studio was a barn that Pizano built in his family’s backyard.) Several of their local haunts have doubled as sets for videos, including their parking lot “smoke spot,” which appeared in the visuals for “Summa.”


Yet it was through a handful of efficient trips to Yosemite that they noticed their flow. Immediately after seeing the teamwork and output achieved while hunkered down in the serene setting, knew they required to find a place together: Soon, they relocated to a residence in L.A. It’s not a far cry from the model that TikTok collectives like Hype House have employed, moving into cinematic Hollywood mansions to collaborate on content with each other. While Peach Tree Rascals preserve a decidedly down-to-earth approach to self-promotion, they also understand the power of a good TikTok. “We have a little bit basketball court downstairs and have been improvising some crazy shots,” Abdel-Khaliq says.


@peachtreerascali challenge U ##peachtreerascals♬ Glide - Peach Tree Rascals



Basketball stunts aside, the Peach Tree Rascals have been guided by their brimming optimism for the future and growth with each new release. Their knack for unbridled positivity is on full display in tracks like “Things Won’t Go Way,” and the triumphant “Mariposa,” which landed them on Spotify’s Viral 50 chart, measuring a song’s virality by how often its shared, a big feat for the then-indie categorize. Their latest single “Not OK” takes a notably darker turn, with a title that unintentionally speaks to the present. Abdel-Khaliq describes the track as “the downside of depression” where you require a barrier between everything. “With the times going on now, it just sort of fits in everywhere,” he says.


The video for “Not OK,” premiering exclusively on MTV News, captures the glitchy and dim feelings of rock bottom. Making creative use of blurred shots and lighting, Abdel-Khaliq wanders dejectedly via night with a safety cone on his head, drifting through parking lots, cityscapes, and the middle of the street. “Don’t try that at home,” he notes. Because they didn’t have access to an added team for the video, due to social distancing suggestions, they hopped in the vehicle and went with the flow. “It’s how we shoot a lot of our stuff,” Pizano says. “There’s no real destination, we just drive wherever we are in the moment.”


They apply the same laissez-faire attitude in the studio as well, letting their California sensibilities guide them in creating music that they hope evokes a sense of residence for fans. Yet their sonic dissonance is much less of a statement about genre and more of a reflection on their different tastes and backgrounds. “Some days Dom wants to prepare something funky, sometimes I'd like to create something acoustic,” Barros says. Abdel-Khaliq adds, “Then sometimes, Issac just wants to rap. That’s how some days all of the genres fit into one song, because all our influences begin to show.”


As much of the sort are second-generation Residents of the
U.S. With immigrant parents, it’s been essential to each member that they stay true to their roots, and continue doing things their way, whether it’s home-crafted merchandise, or shooting a video at Jorge’s brother’s residence. “We routinely attempt to show we’re delighted of where we come from and want other kids to feel like they can be successful with the resources they have,” Pech says.


While their first-ever tour was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s still palpable excitement among the categorize, along with their growing fanbase, with the collection of “I’m here before they blow up” comments continuing to stack up. With everything they do, they pay attention to the smallest specifics — from their paint-splattered outfits to the teasers at the end of each video hinting at new music to come. “We aspire to prepare a whole world that revolves around us, like our own shows, movies,” Olazaba says. Their plan for this year is to continue dropping new music as they prepare to eventually hit the road and play their songs live for the opening time. “We’re trying not to slow down and keep content going throughout quarantine,” Barros says. “And once the time is right, showtime.”









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