With all the gorgeous weather hitting Vancouver recently, there really is no better time to listen to BESTiE’s new album, No Bad Days. A lush, surf-and-sand feel oozes from every chord while the poppy riffs and nasally vocal phrases urge you to bust out your coconut bra and pair it with a piña colada.

It’s amazing how BESTiE were able to produce such a summery album, considering they likely wrote and recorded it during the fall/winter months. Songs are rich in lyrics that pine for various girls, using some interesting edible analogies along the way, including opener “Pineapple.” At the album’s forefront, the track starts with jungle animal noises before proceeding into a sunny, energetic beat complete with lip trills to give it that extra luau vibe. The staccato sung verses add to the catchy percussive rhythm.

 
As someone whose mouth becomes ablaze at the mildest of salsas, it’s quite surprising that my favourite tune on the album is “Sriracha.” It begins with the sound of waves, establishing a beach setting. Cool, twangy riffs follow, alongside lyrics depicting a romantic, dare-I-say-spicy encounter with a girl; breathy “sriracha”s punctuate between verses, making it seem as if they just had some. It ends with a great last line that ties the whole schtick together: “She burned my lips.”

 
Contrary to their album’s title, BESTiE does have its bad days, as demonstrated by exemplary “Foolish Hearts.” The deep bass, unrelenting string of notes, and ooo’s set the heavy-hearted tropical-surf tone. You can hear the yearning in singer Tristan Orchard’s voice, lamenting about past love and using drawn out vocals to create an expansive feel. A stormy day at English Bay with the palm trees swaying in the wind is the best image to summarize the track.

Overall, No Bad Days is a fun album for a fun summer. It’d be nice if Orchard’s vocals were a bit more distinguishable, but then again, that might take away from the island vibe. Regardless this album will undoubtedly be a cornerstone of my summer playlist.