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ARTIST
TITLE
What Are People For?
FORMAT
LP
LABEL
CATALOG #
N 083LP
N 083LP
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
11/18/2022
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What Are People For? make the perfect kind of dystopic dance music for our times. Born from a collaboration between artist Anna McCarthy and musician/producer Manuela Rzytki, the band could be the illicit lovechild of Tom Tom Club and Throbbing Gristle, displaying the ideal balance of hip shaking vibes and dark provocative content. On their collaborative debut, McCarthy and Rzytki share songwriting duties. The album was produced by Rzytki herself. They are joined by Paulina Nolte on backing vocals and Tom Wu on drums, while Keith Tenniswood mastered the record. The whole project stems from a publication and exhibition by McCarthy laying the foundations for the content and lyrics of the album, which is humorous, poetic and political. As a lyricist, McCarthy uses her storytelling ability to explore anxieties and desires, digging into free surreal word associations reminiscent of Su Tissue's tongue in cheek experiments with Suburban Lawns, but also explosive and gripping like a Kae Tempest rap. Rzytki's precise sonic palette and talent at penning structured bangers perfectly complement McCarthy's playful and subversive language manipulations. Rzytki's beats are rooted in old school hip-hop loop principles and an authentic love for the analog. Her use of an array of synthesizers and other "real" instruments adds to WAPF's depth, soul and sincerity. Throughout the album, lyrical themes revolve around underground aspects of society, violence, political ideologies, sexuality, and mysticism. "73", with its drum machine hysteria and hypnotic synth basses is a text collage written on the 73 bus through London, consisting of situations and conversation snippets encountered along the way. "Nursery Rhyme" brings more soothing incantations. There is definitely an affinity for fairytales, albeit adult ones and especially the anarchistic ones such as The Moomins, who were a consistent influence on the band. WAPF? have absorbed and digested a variety of influences. Trip hop, punk, and techno are rubbing shoulders on "Party Time". "Mz. Lazy" starts like an invitation to meditation and references Gertrude Stein's book Ida in which she develops the idea that publicity is a new religion and people are now famous for being famous. "Fantasize", on its part, is raw, sexual, and liberating while the closing track "Bring Back the Dirt" is a welcome hymn into a world that is becoming more and more sanitized. While exploring deep subject matters throughout their album, WAPF? manage to remain satirical, exciting and funny. WAPF? is a rare combination of contemporary punk energy, irresistible groove, absurdist dry humor and astounding depth of field. Includes printed inner and insert; also includes download code; edition of 500.
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