Listen Up
Cinematic, dramatic, familiar and ethereal releases from this week
serpentwithfeet: Fellowship
The wildly talented serpentwithfeet (aka Josiah Wise) returns with “Fellowship,” a touching song about friendship written and produced by the LA-based artist, along with Sampha and Lil Silva. Layered and textured, the song (from the upcoming album DEACON, out 26 March) is rich with off-kilter percussion and serpentwithfeet’s immediately familiar ethereal vocals. The lyrics are more literal and straightforward than many of his previous offerings, but no less stirring. Along with the video, directed by Kordae Jatafa Henry, the song comes with this statement from serpentwithfeet: “I dedicate ‘Fellowship’ to anyone who has had a good friend or been a good friend.”
Photay feat. golda may: Villain
Woodstock, NY-based producer Photay crafted his newest single, “Villain,” featuring vocalist golda may, using a mix of dramatic elements and eclectic electronic sounds. The video—directed and animated by Sarina Nihei—doubles down on the track’s psychedelic vibe by drawing the audience into the adventures of a young character and their cast of fictional friends: two furry guardians, a synchronized squad of similar figures, melting dogs and more. “Golda and I wrote this song together in 2018 after I arrived home from a long stint of touring,” Photay (aka Evan Shornstein) wrote in an Instagram post. “The tranquility of that sunny autumn day is distilled within these three minutes 53 seconds forever.”
Khruangbin: Dearest Alfred (Knxwledge Remix)
“Dearest Alfred,” which appears on Khruangbin’s brilliant 2020 album, Mordechai, has been given a lush remix by Knxwledge (aka Glen Earl Boothe). The trio (Laura Lee, Mark Speer and Donald Ray “DJ” Johnson Jr) is never overwhelmed by the extravagant effects, ensuring their mellow, psych-influenced appeal remains. The video, made at The Kennedys (an internship-style incubator helmed by Preety Mudhar at Wieden+Kennedy London), provides an eclectic visual accompaniment that’s centered on the magic of mailed correspondence. “We wanted to make a video highlighting that sentiment for a song based on letters my grandfather sent to his brother. Working with The Kennedys, we were able to highlight these feelings from a variety of perspectives and through a variety of mediums—which felt important to the project,” Lee wrote in a statement.
Listen Up is published every Sunday and rounds up the new music we found throughout the week. Hear the year so far on our Spotify channel. Hero image courtesy of Photay / Sarina Nihei
