When approaching ‘The Runner’, the listening experience is bound to be cathartic, even transformative. With its haunting quality and dark contours, the record invites its audience to take a deep dive into NEVERSPEAK’s leftfield and cerebral waters, the arrival point of a process that seems to draw its sources of inspiration from dubstep, leftfield electronica and cinematic music.
‘The Runner’ opens quietly, with kaleidoscopic and filtered arpeggiators setting the tone for what’s to come. The understated verses focus on an evocative and anthemic tone, with charming female vocals and harmonies shining over never-ending risers. The track steadily builds in intensity, culminating in a crashing chorus that reverberates with powerful energy, even at a relatively slow pace – space is used very well by NEVERSPEAK, letting the track breathe and flourish.
Emerging from Tokyo, NEVERSPEAK showcases his artistic worth, setting on a journey that will see him release two more records soon, also collaborating with American rapper JedLi. Speaking about the lyricism and inspiration behind ‘The Runner’, the Japan-based producer explains: “The concept is karma catching up with someone. Using vocals to tell a story, the narrator is karma personified, ready to restore balance to the person who has done wrong. The verses provide moments of peace, while NEVERSPEAK describes the chorus drops as “the chaos of the balance being restored.”
Recommended! Discover ‘The Runner’ on Spotify:
