Sickleberry Sunsets
Wovensound x Ihasamic!
With its exquisite fusion of lo-fi, jazz, and hip-hop, Singapore producer Wovensound’s latest jam exudes a feel-good summer road trip vibe while leaning towards a classic, stylistic lineage in terms of production and overall sound.
According to the underrated producer, the song was recorded during the lockdown period in Singapore, with no access to the studio. He collaborates extensively and roped in 4 artists from Singapore on this track, including rappers Ihasamic!, SHAK, Andrew Marko, and singer Raina Sum. “I just love how this song takes different turns throughout its different sections, with each artist bringing their own flavour to the table and bouncing off each other,” Wovensound shares.
Lyrically, “Sickleberry Sunsets” doesn’t adhere to bland compromises. It’s a slickly produced hip-hop anthem that tackles two sides of a familiar persona. “In the song, there are two stories playing simultaneously: a cynic’s struggle with staying optimistic as a realist, and an optimist’s struggle of dealing with a loss of innocence and ignorance”, shares Wovensound. “I was in a very Nujabes mood when creating the track. The horns at the end is me paying some tribute to an artist I love dearly.”
“Sickleberry Sunsets is centred by a mesmerising hook that features Shak singing “It’s music to my ears” – and we couldn’t agree more. Taking a page out of Brockhampton and Tyler the Creator’s books, producer Wovensound weaves in elements of lo-fi, jazz and hip-hop to create a track that sounds like a road trip. It takes you on a sonic adventure through various sections of the song, with each artist bringing their own flavour – Ihasamic! with his punchy rap verses, Shak with his arresting, soulful vocals, Andrew Marko with his fiery bars, and Raina Sum with her haunting, minimalist bridge.” - TimeOut Magazine
You’re a veteran of the Singapore metal scene! How did Wovensound come about?
I played guitar in numerous metal bands over a 10 year period. One of the bands I was in (Mucus Mortuary) was picked up to do a series by Rice Media, in which we collaborated with an ASMR artist for a show. In the production of that series I linked up with Ihasamic!, who I then started collaborating with when I delved into hip hop in early 2020. We had chemistry and that was how this song and the EP was born.
What’s your musical process like?
Most of the time it would start with just sitting down and going through sounds, I would go through hundreds of sounds and find the best ones that inspire me, then I would take them and resample them into something I can build drums and bass around. Basically fleshing out the vibe and feel of a sample into a full fledged beat that I can then start looking for artists to bring that vibe to life.
Who are your influences?
I’ve been really digging J.Cole/ Kenny Beats/ Drake’s production and songs recently. Been a big fan of Brockhampton and Tyler the Creator as well. Nujabes has been a long time favourite of mine.
What are the goals for your music?
To work with as many inspiring artists locally and overseas that I can, and hopefully the songs we create will inspire people in their own way.
You worked with quite a number of artists on Sickleberry Sunsets, what’s the story behind it?
This song started out as a Lofi beat I made which I kept coming back to, I decided to send it to Ihasamic!, whom I was collaborating with intensively at the time, for some rap verses. He came back with 2 verses and the hook. We then started looking at people to really take the song to the next level. I reached out to SHAK for the chorus, feeling that his voice was a perfect fit for the track. Then we found Andrew Marko, who killed the second verse. From the start we wanted some female vocals on it and through Andrew, we found Raina, who was a perfect fit for the song. All in all, this song was a nice blend of 4 artists bouncing off one another.
You recorded and produced this while Singapore was on lockdown?
Yeh, we were on lockdown with no access to the studio, so most of it was recorded in our own homes with our own microphones. One was a phone recording in a bomb shelter (I won’t tell you who). So it was a lot of work in post to make everyone shine through in the track, but it was all worth it in the end.
What’s your favourite part of the song?
The sprinkles of existentialist worries in “I’m not ready to go, yet I’ve so much to accomplish, what will I amount to, I see no future” on top of the mostly positive lyrics and music.
I just love how this song takes different turns throughout different sections of the song, with each artist bringing their own flavour to their section.
Any last words?
Just sit back, relax and vibe out to this track. Let it bring you into a calm, positive state - oddly nostalgic and relaxed. Ride slow to this music.
[Chorus]
Ride slow to this music it’s music to my ears
Will not refute it
I’m jumping cities on the backseats of reality
Come see the sunset with me
[Verse 1]
Come see the sunset at the onset
Total apocalypse of the heart it’s in the subset
Trust it,
The process as gruelling as it is rewarding
The excess piled over one another overcrowding
Grow plant grow slowly
Suck up holy water from the ground till there is none to be found
Shortage of supply
Change plant change
Call whatever for rain call for cease fires call me up
And call for daddies in the sky
[Pre-Chorus]
I’m not ready to go
Yet I’ve so much to accomplish
What will I amount to, I see no future
[Chorus]
Ride slow to this music it’s music to my ears
Will not refute it
I’m jumping cities on the backseats of reality
Come see the sunset with me
[Verse 2]
Dropping in dropping out,
Peekin’ as I’m passing through the clouds,
I wanna take a leak and let the world just have a peak
Into this bliss
Speeding through the mist is that allowed?
Keepin the words under by breath cause’ I’m afraid
I might be too loud
Uh oh, the clock is going coco
The time for change is now,
But I’m standing here just caught up in a chokehold.
You can’t be shouting,
You can’t be silent,
But mama always said to choose
Love over violence.
[Pre-Chorus]
I’m not ready to go
Yet I’ve so much to accomplish
What will I amount to, I see no future
[Chorus]
Ride slow to this music it’s music to my ears
Will not refute it
I’m jumping cities oh
Ride slow to this music it’s music to my ears
Will not refute it
I’m jumping cities oh
