Bjarki – 10,000 Steps But Still Biting My Nails

Single

28 Oct

With the news of a new compilation album orchestrated by Bjarki, the Icelandic producer, has given us a sneak peek into the sound with a new standalone release, 10,000 Steps But Still Biting My Nails. This latest single is far from the big room sound Bjarki made his name with. As it explores more conceptual ideas, I'm becoming sonically more attuned to the aquatic worlds of Drexciya.

Bjarki's new compilation, A Guide to Hellthier Lifestyle, promises to "explore the psychological landscape of contemporary social issues." Its altered focus away from the ultra-dance-focused output fans expect of Bjarki allows for a refreshing rebirth and a chance to explore his sound further. Still, while attempting to understand this latest single, they'll have some exciting ideas fans, new and old, will appreciate.

10,000 Steps But Still Biting My Nails has done away with the boisterous beats in favour of much more subdued and, at times, even muffled percussion and atmospherics. The truck sounds are the worst merged in water, hearing nothing but muffled bass subdued by the waves above us, whereas the last waves create these foamy soft pads used throughout. The rhythmic vocals clutter the mind, almost portraying what, at first glance, seems to be a noisy crowd. Still, its proximity and clarity indicate it could be something more internal.

This latest record from Bjarki aims to explore the feeling of external pressures. To my ears, it's a repetitive chant of "OK, right there, that's good." The voices trying to pull and push you in different directions result in a drowning feeling, hence all the references to water.

Bjarki's choice to step away from his big room exports on this release adds depth to his production. It feels like a precursor to a more varied expression in the future, and with a new album around the corner, I'd expect more ideas like this to be fleshed out.

10,000 Steps But Still Biting My Nails is available for streaming and purchase now, while the upcoming compilation, A Guide to Hellthier Lifestyle, will be released on December 12th.

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