Toro Y Moi - “How I Know”
Like it or not, Chaz Bundick is pretty much stuck with the chillwave label, being one of the biggest acts the non-scene/non-movement has produced. “How I Know,” like much of Underneath the Pine, even sees him steering toward sounds that don’t fall under that umbrella term (because, duh, no one wakes up with “chillwave artist” pasted on their forehead)—the dull, earthy drums, austere piano, and accents of analog synth suggest the jazz & funk-influenced sound of mid-70s pop—but a vital connection remains intact. It’s still firmly rooted in the rosy decay of nostalgia, especially the pervasive sense of longing conjured by thoughts of home. “Can’t tell you how I know,” he shrugs, “this is where I want you to take me when I die.” He’s not referring to the present moment so much as (perhaps?) pointing to a spot on the map and remembering what it has meant to him—“Sorry if I pass you by…I was only thinking of my home and how it’s so far.” This is a song not just about wanting to escape to the past, but about trying to live there in your head and letting everything else fall by the wayside. The hopelessness of his plight makes it poignant, but Bundick’s sounds, style, and delivery make it livable.
runner-up: “New Beat”
4 Notes/ Hide
-
jamiesoncox said:
I love this song.
-
jamiesoncox liked this
-
imathers liked this
-
hndrk liked this
-
popcornnoises posted this
