The musicians in LA indie pop duo Ginkgo Balboa have an easygoing vibe that is reflected in their groovy, chill music. With the release of their upcoming EP Balloon Duty this summer, they’re hoping this positive energy will connect with listeners. Get the cocktail umbrellas ready.

Listening to Mike Bednarsky and Ben Masbaum speak about the seamless nature of their dynamic as a band quickly reveals a connection between their relaxed, easygoing friendship and the summery, chill vibe that permeates Ginkgo Balboa’s sound. After meeting at a music festival that they were both working logistics for, the duo became friends and realized that if they could tolerate each other while working for a touring festival, there’s a dynamic between them that could excel in a musical capacity as well. 

“I think we’ve always kind of worked pretty well together.” Masbaum says. They didn’t have many issues with collaborating with other musicians in the past, but finding others that wanted to take the music’s trajectory to a new level beyond just a passion project was difficult.”

“One of the best things about Ginkgo Balboa is that we both took it serious from the get-go,” Bednarsky explains. “It was never difficult to find people to jam with or collaborate with, it was just taking it to the next step, you know, business wise.” 

For their debut 2020 self-titled EP after forming the group in 2019, they worked in the studio together, and kept this collective arrangement for the creation of their new EP Balloon Duty, which will drop on July 28. Though they see eye-to-eye with their overall business mindset to Ginkgo Balboa, they still approach creating music in different ways that in the end, bring a well-rounded perspective to their unique pop sound.  

Whereas Bednarsky thinks externally about how the audience perceives the music and focuses more on the social aspect of forming “new memories and new connections with people,” Masbaum thinks more internally about the music itself (the “quiet genius” according to Bednarsky). Their differences in approaching the project align with how they operate, considering Masbaum is involved more with the instrumental backbone and production, while Bednarsky provides the vocals and lyrics that invoke certain personal memories that fans can relate to.

Ginkgo Balboa’s upbeat yet relaxed sound recalls a summertime hangout with friends or a day at the beach that sits nicely with Tame Impala or Toro Y Moi. The recent single “Tie Me Down” infuses a funky bass line with synths weaving in and out of the track. There’s no denying the laid back LA attitude, and the group has certainly embraced it and made it part of their identity. 

“A lot of the music that I’m writing pulls from my experiences in LA,” Masbaum reflects. “I would like to think that I’ve at least consciously sort of given it the LA vibe, at least for myself personally.”

Bednarsky adds that after living in LA for six years, the city has changed his relationship with music. There are artists he’s discovered because he specifically sought out music that would compliment the sunny, beachy environment he was immersed in. Now he’s creating his own LA soundtrack for others to enjoy. Thankfully, no beach is needed for listeners to conjure up the sun-soaked positive vibes.

LA is an important muse and home base for the band, but a long-term goal for them is a US tour. For the making of Balloon Duty, live shows have gained a higher sense of importance. In the modern age of technology and the pandemic preventing more people from interacting face-to-face, live performances can create a communal connection that is unlike any other experience. 

The duo stress the importance of connection and community whether it’s through concerts or simply listening to the tracks. Masbaum hopes that listeners will want to “garner a sense of community” with friends after hearing Ginkgo Balboa’s positive, easygoing sound. 

Prepare to have Balloon Duty on a party playlist near you this summer.