WILT_2023-11

A playlist of songs that intrigued me from Sunday to Saturday. Week of 12 Mar 2023 to 18 Mar 2023.

1. New Dawn – Wata Igarashi
2. Nar – Vicky Zissou
3. Sanssvieria (Emika Elena Remix) – Ryogo Yamamori, Emika Elena
4. Get it by your hands (HI-EVO MIX) – Hiroshi Watanabe
5. Verkligheten – Soilwork
6. Febersvan – GAUPA
7. Bad Man Lighter 2.0 – Sean Kuti, Black Thought, VIC MENSA
8. The Horse Has a Voice (feat. Theon Cross) – Matthew Herbert, London Contemporary Orchestra, Theon Cross
9. Why Must You Fly (feat. Omar) – STR4TA, Omar
10. Parody – Yves Tumor
11. Hoping (Herbert’s High Dub) – Louie Austen, Matthew Herbert

Hyperlink to Spotify playlist: WILT_2023-11

Notes

Everything started with Wata Igarashi. 

I came across a mix where some of his music was featured and that sparked an interest in the development of techno music in Japan for me. 

From there it was a short trip to Spotify to further explore the music and the movement. But it is as of writing this today that I woefully know little about anything because all I’ve been doing is listening to music, but not understanding from what brought the sounds out.

No matter, not at least at this stage. There’s a featuring of some tasty techno music that caught my ear. It’s all very vibe-y, and the tempo seems to suit a natural tempo of what I’d like to get me moving yet not necessarily flailing. Also, it probably is an exercise in appreciating how tight that 808 kick is. 

The musical style transitions when we hit Verkligheten by Soilwork. I think this and Febersvan by GAUPA appeared at the end of the playlist that was developing as recommendations, or they appeared as recommendations from the end of WILT_2023-10. I’m a bit hazy about this.

Still, both tracks are interesting compositions of note. They stood out from the somewhat electronic direction I had been thinking for the past two or three weeks, and add a nice measure of psychedelic rock.

After that, I think it was a foray into Spotify’s new releases for the week. We have an updated version of Sean Kuti and Egypt 80’s Bad Man Lighter, this time with Black Thought and VIC MENSA for Bad Man Lighter 2.0. It’s still a good song, but I’m unsure if adding in more performances by Black Thought and VIC MENSA counts as a 2.0

Doubts aside, nothing might prepare you for the onslaught of Theon Cross in The Horse Has a Voice. This amazing piece by Matthew Herbert and the London Contemporary Orchestra features a ballistic and unhinged performance by Cross and his tuba as they slice through dimensions with an orchestra following suit in the wake of their chaos. It really is a cacophony of primal performance and I want to be at the front row every time.

From that brilliant display, we have something a bit more subdued in the form of a very bass-forward performance by STR4TA with vocals by Omar.

Parody by Yves Tudor is also another welcome addition to this mix. The artist’s music always surprises me as to how they meld the elements of alternative rock and soul together. And it’s not just some clumsy mashup, there is a real synthesis of language and production that create something very unique yet familiar. It feels like I’ve been listening to the music forever, but it’s still so new and cutting edge. Give this a listen, the musical arrangements are soaring and Tumor’s performance blazes beyond that already brilliant delivery.

We end with Hoping (Herbert’s High Dub) by Louie Austen and Matthew Herbert. Damn, I hate how this song comes on after the previous one because it’s so clunky. But the edges get smoothed out once the rest of the song pans out, and quite possibly when that bass hook appears. It’s sexy in a very clumsy way. Yeah, there’s an awkward sensuality which if anything evokes a sort of earnestness in the delivery of the joke. 

Well this song came about to being included when I decided I’d explore more of the mastermind behind The Horse Has a Voice and this was the first song on the profile, and it really is a great introduction to Herbert’s music.