Beck
Defriended
Fonograf

Beck Hansen, or Beck (born Bek David Campbell) is back after a long silence, record-wise. Well, actually he returned last year with the 7-inch single "I Just Started Hating Some People Today"" (b/w "Blue Randy"). Now he presents a new song, a digital single this time, along with news (rumours?) about two(!) new albums. This year! "Defriended" will not be included on the new album(s), and it's said that another non-album song will be put out (streaming) during the summer.

It's quite a different Beck we're introduced to on "Defriended". It sounds like a wild, messy remix, and it's hard to recognize, or guess that this is a Beck song at all. Beck's vocals are even hard to spot if this was a pop quiz launch. It's a bit up the (v)alley of Akron/Family or Animal Collective (or remixed by those), and it's quite an interesting track, but no future classic. Swirling, rolling rhythms, twisted and simple electronics, a carefully pounding bass, and - as said - Beck's echo-effected voice singing from the other side of the room. Maybe rather a curiosity as a song, but nevertheless cool as only Beck can.

I'm really looking forward to the 2 albums. Will they include any Song Reader songs? One is said to be acoustic, the other a follow-up to Modern Guilt (2008), which is an album I really like. It's almost as good as Sea Change and Mutations. Will new record(s) see Beck paired with DangerMouse again, or will Nigel Godrich or The Dust Brothers return. The year will show. Untill then, befriend "Defriended".

Copyright © 2013 Håvard Oppøyen