It’s raining here in New York and the sky is the most incredible shade of grey. The clouds are moving fast and hazy light beams peak through with the breaks in the approaching storm. I decided to walk my way home to my apartment today despite the rain and actually enjoyed not having an umbrella for once. As I turned onto 2nd Avenue to head downtown, this track came on. Oddly enough the wind began to race up the Avenue and throw the rain directly at my face. I looked to the sky as Kimbra’s ethereal “oohs” crescendoed through my headphones; I felt like I was in a movie and the camera was panning away as a scene of me walking through the gloomy city faded to the credits. It’s one of those moments that don’t seem real looking back on them because of how perfectly everything surrounding you lined up. Anyway, the moment has passed and this track is what I have left to hold on to.
To be honest, this track is exactly what I needed this Wednesday. I’ve been nursing coffee all day to fight away any sense of tiredness that may creep its way through my body. Thank the musical gods for George Fitzgerald for turning an incredibly (yet oh so wonderful) downer of song into something that’s ambitiously working to get you moving. Fitzgerald takes the title seriously here and builds the track up out of an ambient minute and a half intro and then drop us into a lush sound-garden of groovy synths and a bouncing electronic beat. Kimbra’s ability to go from an airy, atmospheric tone to a full chest voice within three words is shown off here; complimenting the tension she’s singing about. She wants the prize but not the race; the boy but not the chase.
Need the pulse to feel alive
All the world’s just made it seem all quiet
This has all become far too loud
I like you more when you don’t make a sound
You will come back home when I call
Left no sign, nothing at all
Sorry you won’t fit inside my heart.”
Somehow the contrast between the somber lyrics (which are severely edited down here) and the galaxy-riding production works. Two lulls in the track make for two build ups and two let downs. Unlike the Kimbra’s original song, Fitzgerald’s remix leaves us on the build-up. It simply ends. One last bah-bum-bum and it’s over; clean, simple, and refreshing…just like my walk through the rain. Breathe out guys, we’ve made it over this week’s hump.
Kimbra – Build Up (George Fitzgerald Remix)
