Scarypoolparty’s new EP has L.A. spin

California’s Alejandro Aranda continues his genre-bending streak in his upcoming four-song EP, “Los Angeles,” which flows from R&B to soulful pop to hip-hop to a keyboard-driven tune that sounds like a classical ballad backed by a drum machine,

“Each song varies in styles, but they all have heavy drums and very cinematic kinds of styles,” said Aranda, who first gained national attention after finishing second on “American Idol” in 2019.

Aranda, who performs as Scarypoolparty, has announced the March 26 release of his new EP.

He’d previously released a new standalone single, “Home,” which blends acoustic elements with electronic music and is a look at loving someone while battling your own mental demons. It is a song the singer says is particularly poignant during the pandemic, when many people are feeling more isolated.

“I really wanted to make a pop song but really talk about heavy topics,” he said.

“It’s legit about mental problems that a lot of us deal with on a daily basis.

“In terms of my own life, getting therapy and getting things that you need within your life and maintaining friendships and maintaining a healthy mindset is really something that should be the goal in everyone’s life,” Aranda said.

The upcoming EP is a followup to his 2019 debut LP, “Exit Form,” which touched on elements of industrial rock, punk and acoustic music, and his equally eclectic 2020 EP, “Doom Hologram.”

For the new record, Aranda got his inspiration from Los Angeles.

“I feel like with this EP that I’m going to drop, it’s almost like showcasing everything that’s going on in Los Angeles, from people having drug problems to rent getting higher to people not caring about what’s going on in the city. There’s a lot of things I wanted to talk about in this EP but I wanted to present it in a way that was lighter in music,” he said.

The new release begins with “Overdone,” a soulful R&B tune that mixes elements of classical music and talks about not overdoing or overthinking things.

“There are a lot of people who over-exaggerate feelings, and I wanted to kind of capture that.

I catch myself doing that all the time whether that be in friendships, relationships or anything like that. Sometimes I get in the mindset where I’m overdoing stuff,” he said.

The EP also includes the more groovy “Paradise,” while “Room Full of Cards” is a piano-heavy tune with rapid drumbeats and a bit of a celestial, dreamy vibe.

“The sound would be like if Chopin had a drummer. I don’t really know how to explain it. It is very loungy,” he said.

The track “Universe,” meanwhile, needs no explanation since it’s driven by hip-hop, with Massachusetts rapper Nothing, Nowhere rapping alongside Aranda’s vocals.

“With my music I really want to showcase that I have an appreciation and a love for every style of music,” Aranda said.

BEX GRIFFIN Scarypoolparty is the stage name of Alejandro Aranda, a No. 2 finisher on “American Idol.” His new EP “Los Angeles,” will be out March 26.