California’s Art Feynman sports an impressive sound that blends elements of motorik and Afrobeat into a thrilling mix that comes across as something akin to chilled-out funk. On “The Shape You’re In” Feynman’s instrumentation and muted tones are economical but decidedly funky with slinky beats and hushed vocals. “The Shape You’re In” refers to our present political calamities as well as the dehumanizing effects of technology invading every aspect of our lives.
Feynman tells PopMatters that the song “is about our current political situation, and how maybe our situation is the result of technology, and the detachment it creates from our direct experience of life. People stop knowing how to use all their senses to discern what’s the best for them, hence fast food, empty music, twisted religion, and Trump. All you need to do is look at him to know what kind of man he is, but apparently, lots of people have lost the ability to really see, we’ve become a world of soundbites and branding, and Trump is a master at both of those things. He can be a spiteful fool in broad daylight, and it doesn’t seem to matter.”
“The Shape You’re In” shows a young artist at the top of his game and it’s a superb preview for Feynman’s upcoming album Blast Off Through the Wicker, although the track is a bonus and doesn’t appear on his debut. Blast Off Through the Wicker releases 14 July via Western Vinyl and you can pre-order from the label, Bandcamp or iTunes.
Meanwhile, Art Feynman will be touring with Laetitia Sadier (dates below).
TOUR DATES
08/04 – Jersey City, NJ @ Monty Hall
08/05 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
08/06 – Washington, DC @ DC9
08/08 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
08/09 – Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight
08/10 – Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records
08/11 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre
08/12 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub