PREMIERE: Buddie - "Stressed In Paradise"

September 16, 2025

Today, we are thrilled to premiere “Stressed In Paradise,” the latest single from Buddie.

Buddie is the long-running songwriting outlet of Philadelphian-turned-Vancouverite Dan Forrest. Following their 2020 debut LP, Diving, Forrest recorded dozens of new songs before his move west to pursue a graduate degree in sustainability. 2023 saw the release of the band’s sophomore album, Agitator, which dealt heavily with themes of anxiety and existential dread under late-stage capitalism.

Now a fully realized four-piece, the grunge-pop outfit share “Stressed In Paradise,” the lead single from their new record, Glass. Out November 7 on Crafted Sounds, Buddie’s third album is their first to be fully written and recorded in Vancouver, and their most collaborative effort yet.

Amidst a two-minute burst of power-pop bliss, the track grazes upon similar themes of the band’s previous records. A shift in scenery, a change in pace, or a new endeavor can only carry you so far when your biggest concerns are so pervasive. As Forrest puts it, “‘Stressed in Paradise’ is the realization that we can’t run away from late-stage capitalism. That gnawing feeling of wealth inequality, of vain consumerism, will follow you from cities coast-to-coast.”

Out November 7, physical copies of Glass are available on CD and vinyl formats through Crafted Sounds, and on tape via Placeholder Records.

Continue reading for a Q&A with the band regarding the importance of community, the new record, and the DIY techniques that brought the video to life.

A note from Buddie: “We use quotes around ‘Vancouver’ to respect local Indigenous and anti-Imperialist groups who challenge the legitimacy of the colonial presence and the existing political structures in what is formally known as Vancouver, BC. We live on the unceded (i.e., stolen) lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. And other Coast Salish peoples like the Semiahmoo, Stó:lō (with member nations like Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwikwetlem, and Qayqayt), and Tsawwassen, also have historical and contemporary relationships with these lands.”

Q: Glass is the band’s first release since your relocation from Philly to Vancouver. How has the adjustment been, and what’s the music scene in Vancouver like?

Dan: It was hard to leave my little music community in Philly. I have lifelong friends that I play music with there, like Tim McMonigle, Alex Ruane & Lauren Tsipori. I made two records with amazing people, musicians, and friends: Danielle Farley, Brian Thomas, and David Dean. And EPs with Tim and Andrew Silverman. We had support from local labels, such as Super Wimpy Punch, and venues like Ortlieb’s. And I felt inspired by tons of local bands growing up in the scene, from Alex G, to Swearin’ and Radiator Hospital, to friends’ bands like Qwark, ST00PS, and other Sam Mercurio projects, Big Pearl, Fast Car Slow Car, and on and on.

But really, “Vancouver’s” music scene is SO warm and welcoming. I met Natalie Glubb and Lindsay Partin on the internet before I’d even moved. We jammed nearly the day I arrived here in September 2021. We started playing shows and fests almost immediately, initially with guitarist Aidan Hanlon, before eventually finding Patrick Farrugia. And people were really open to us as a new band. Whereas I perceived Philadelphia’s scene to be a bit like a competition, with people sizing each other up and being a bit exclusive about what connections to make, “Vancouver” feels more like a big party. Most everyone is supportive of everyone. It’s hard to say why, but maybe because the stakes are lower and it’s hard for artists here. We’re like an island, with the next major city being an expensive ferry or a 12-hour drive away. And it’s so expensive. So, we’re all we’ve got. A lot of people with that “hunger for success” move away to LA, NYC, Toronto, or Montreal. I know not everyone shares this experience, but I feel like people really care about each other and the folks who stick around find creative opportunities to make things work. I really admire the communities around Green Auto, a group called Fervorists, and a new venue that seems awesome called Venue Co-op YVR.

Q: The video for “Stressed in Paradise” has a sort of stop-motion feel to it. What was the thought process behind that, and how did it come to fruition?

Natalie: I wanted to place Dan in various depictions of paradise, but make it clear that he’s not quite present through any of it. So, we used that fast motion effect to try to make the world feel like it's flying by, while Dan is kind of robotic and choppy looking, and his affect is flat.

To bring it to fruition: we wanted to do it all ourselves on a budget, chipping away at our own pace. So, we made a DIY SnorriCam by strapping GoPro on a tripod to Dan’s waist, and had him lipsync the song at ⅓ speed. The summer flew by and the deadline snuck up on us, so inadvertently, we got pretty stressed [in paradise] trying to get the whole thing done.

Q: Last October, you shared “Impatient,” which also appears on the upcoming record. What went into the decision on making “Stressed in Paradise” the lead single over “Impatient,” or any of the other tracks on Glass, for that matter?

Everyone: We’d already released “Impatient” and didn’t want the first thing folks heard from us a year later to be more of the same. But really, we think it’s catchy, the folks at Crafted Sounds liked it, and we had a fun and achievable idea for the video, so we went for it.

Q: Community, solidarity, and other anti-imperialist sentiments are at the heart of a lot of your lyrics. Within music, especially DIY, how important is it to build community and put on for your local scene? And more broadly, how can people—musicians or not—help carve a path forward in instilling a similar ethos within the larger working class?

Dan: Since moving, I’ve found community-building to be the most rewarding aspect of “Vancouver’s” DIY music scene. In a world that pushes individualism and independence on us every day—through advertising, broadly accepted consumerism, and social norms that make us feel like we need to be self-sufficient—“Vancouver’s” music scene is a countercurrent. Most small local venues are run by a passionate group of musicians or music lovers, who make it work despite the poor economics. Maybe it’s via common experience that builds a shared identity and feeling of solidarity, or maybe it’s the empathy that being a busy, struggling artist sews…but this music scene loves to show up for people. Fundraiser shows are so commonplace. Musicians make statements of support and solidarity, or raise awareness for the most important issues of our day. Plus, the community overlaps pretty heavily with leftist politics and political organizers. Just within the past year, we’ve been part of or attended fundraiser shows for Palestinians trying to survive genocide and education about anti-Zionism and associated organizations like Independent Jewish Voices, for local socialist politicians (like Sean Orr), support for survivors of the Lapu-Lapu Day Tragedy, the Drug User Liberation Front, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, etc.

This kind of community-wide social norm, of empathy and care, of raising funds and talking about things we care about…it’s kind of infectious. It’s one of the few kinds of social pressure I can get behind, because it motivates people to help vulnerable and marginalized people if they want to feel a part of this one corner of the scene. Who knows? Maybe this ethos of solidarity and mutual aid can help continue historical legacies of punk music and other countercultures, to build awareness, knowledge, and momentum for labor unions, socialist politics, and other forms of building power for the working class and marginalized peoples. All I’m really certain about is that this kind of music community helps some people feel a sense of belonging and feel good, right here and now.