New York – It takes a lot to surprise longtime fans of Sufjan Stevens. The man’s discography is a sonic yoga saga in itself, stretching from quiet folk, to ambient techno, to Christmas box sets. So, when Stevens teamed up with Chicago rapper Serengeti and New York’s Son Lux one year ago, fans weren’t exactly fazed, but were definitely intrigued. This trio is evidently intent on keeping our interest in tact. With great anticipation, we’re awaiting the upcoming release of their self-titled album Sisyphus.
This mélange is a genre melting pot. All three artists are well established in their own right, and renowned musicians in their subfields. In fact, this project does not mark the first collaboration between Stevens and Serengeti – the two worked together on “Blood Pt. 2,” a track that featured on 2009’s compilation album Dark Was The Night.
Under the handle Serengeti, David Cohn has been churning out unstoppable alternative hip-hop since 2007, with a proclaimed aim at revolutionizing rap. Son Lux, or rather Ryan Lott, has similarly been around since 2007. This post-rocker produces alternative hip-hop, yet he built his career as a composer, largely working in the commercial industry. The list of collaborators Lott has conspired with is seemingly endless, ranging from classical composer Caroline Shaw, to rapper Busdriver to Richard Parry of Arcade Fire.
Sisyphus emerged for the first time last May, but under the moniker s/s/s. Their debut EP, Beak & Claw, was a 4-track compilation of auto-tuned magic, peppered with rap and stacked on orchestral compositions. Sufjan lent his signature vocals to the tracks, pitied against Serengeti’s rhymes and, somehow, it worked wondrously.
Whereas the EP was written and recorded remotely, the gang came together in person for the writing of their latest. In fact, they managed to bang out the record in just three weeks’ time. The album is scheduled for released on March 18th via Asthmatic Kitty and Joyful Noise. The boys have already made three tracks from their forthcoming available, previously “Calm It Down” and “Alcohol.” Recently debuted is “Rhythm of Devotion,” the third single and possibly the most power-packed preview yet.
As unlikely as this trio is alone, the improbable partnerships behind their forthcoming record continue down a rabbit hole of cross-genre artistic alliances. Another, more indirect, collaborator lays beneath the writing of this record. The work of installation artist Jim Hodges is the central inspiration for this LP and, moreover, the Walker Art Center and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music commissioned the album. A pre-release of the LP debuted on February 15th in conjunction with opening night of Hodges’ latest exposition. The show, entitled “Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Take,” is a retrospective of Hodges work and is on display at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis until the 11th of May.
Of Hodge’s influence, Stevens said, “Jim’s work is meticulous, well-crafted and sentimental on the surface, but there’s some dark shit under all that ornamentation; I think this aesthetic informed our approach: we wanted to make ear candy—catchy raps and pretty love songs. But if you inspect some of the content, you’ll uncover some bleak events.”
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was charged with forever pushing an impossibly heavy bolder up a hill, only to watch the rock roll downhill and begin again. This was punishment for his deceitful nature, but a well-intentioned lesson in determination. This outfit exudes the spirit of fortitude, and their music reflects not only their dedication to the arts, but also the power of teamwork. Sisyphus couldn’t do it alone, but in light of what this group has exhibited thus far, I am willing to bet this trio can’t fail.
Liz Rowley
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