After a few days anticipation, Beck has released his new track Wow. This is Beck’s first solo release since last year’s Dreams, although he has recently recorded a few collaborations, including his recent tie up with Flume. And much like that, Wow combines almost bombastic pop production with slack-rap vocals that hark back to Beck’s roots.
Caught somewhere between an old school, hip-hop summer classic and a vaguely looming indie electronica. Trap beat snares, pool party backing vocals and easy melodies are worked into quirkier vocal samples and hypnotic synths. With Beck’s lazily delivered lyrics sitting atop, surreal and sharp, featuring lines like “Standing on a line doin’ jiu jitsu / Girl in the bikini with the Lamborghini shih tzu”. If anything, Wow conjures up the same feel as Bran Van 3000’s ’97 hit Drinking In LA, but probably reaching a little deeper.
It is still unclear whether Wow will be the first single off a new album by Beck, his first since 2014’s Grammy winning Morning Phase. However he told Zane Lowe on his Beats 1 radio show that the album did exist. He also mentioned a collaboration with Greg Kurstin, who previously played in Beck’s band and also co-wrote last year’s Dreams.
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