Lorde’s ‘Yellow Flicker Beat’ receives the Kanye West treatment
As one of today’s hottest and most successful musical acts, Lorde’s simple involvement in The Hunger Games – Mockingjay: Part 1 was a stirring announcement in and of itself. When director Francis Lawrence sat down with Lorde this past spring, he immediately knew the singer’s enthusiasm for the story and understanding of the movie’s characters and themes situated her as the prime candidate to curate the film’s entire soundtrack. After spending much time and energy into assembling a dazzling line-up of reputable artists to contribute to the album, Kanye West’s touch has finally emerged to the public eye.
Yeezy’s rework of “Yellow Flicker Beat”, shortened to just “Flicker”, puts a dark and gloomy electronica spin on Lorde’s original lead single. The absence of Kanye’s acclaimed lyricism may come as a surprise to some first-time listeners, but the G.O.O.D. Music founder originally began working his tenacious musical career as a producer (and used a handful of his instrumental pieces for his own discography).
“Flicker” follows a more minimalistic framework, stripping the original’s dynamic percussion for a series of faint kicks and spaced-out, resonating snare pops. Kanye exchanges the song’s full chordal progressions for an eerily atmospheric synth backbone that later ushers in the haunting melody of piano key twinkles. Though a sound much different from Kanye West’s typical productions, “Flicker” seems to set an alternate tone appropriate for its forthcoming cinematic counterpart.
The Hunger Games – Mockingjay: Part 1 soundtrack album will be released on November 17th via Republic Records.
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Categories: Music