They did warn us they were ready to “take some bolder sonic swings”. Yet, it wasn’t clear how soon that would happen. It turns out, Wotts are not wasting any time, supercharging their ethereal, psych component into a dreamy, spacious remix of ‘sinking’, aptly named ‘sinking II’. In it, the keen listener is gracefully lullabied by a flurry of hazy textures, heavenly synth work, and a prominent indie pop character, one that’s namely inspired by Gorillaz and Tame Impala, as the Canadian duo explains.
The record’s original version was released back in November, featuring a decisively more organic, acoustic-driven production. ‘sinking II’ shifts the sonic palette considerably, embracing a wider retro aura and an expansive, nostalgic direction that seems to inform the way the song interacts with the lyrical matter. Now, the single speaks in higher metaphorical terms, pushing not just introspection values but instead a wider discourse on the reality around us.
Whether that’s a convenient consequence of the remix, or a voluntary, informed move to scramble the song’s own references, it’s interesting to note how a piece of music – or a work of art, generally – can change, modify its cultural meaning just after a couple of months. Perhaps then, music-making is a dynamic process, a personal experience that grows and transforms with the human behind it.
Reiterating the same concept, Jayem from Wotts explain: “Even though the lyrics are more or less the same, the song has a completely different meaning to us compared to the original. That one really spoke about losing yourself, this one tackles losing people around you.” But enough philosophy: ‘sinking II’ is overall a luscious, vibrant record, one you should obviously listen to.
Recommended! Discover ‘sinking II’ on Spotify:
