Home / Arts and Entertainment / Queer Gospel: serpentwithfeet's Operatic Debut
Queer Gospel: serpentwithfeet's Operatic Debut
2 Oct
Summary
- serpentwithfeet, aka Josiah Wise, explores queer experiences through music.
- The 'blisters' EP features production by Haxan Cloak.
- Wise's vocal delivery is protean, shifting between whispers and moans.
The musical collaboration between Josiah Wise, known as serpentwithfeet, and producer the Haxan Cloak delivers a personal and grand exploration of queer experiences.
Wise, a classically trained singer, blends neo-soul, funk, R&B, and pagan gospel. His debut EP, 'blisters', is a brief, 20-minute, five-song collection that morphs its short runtime into an experience of vulnerability and queer identity.
The opening track, 'blisters', combines harps with electronic drums and static, unified by Wise's unique voice. His vocal performance is compared to Holly Herndon's experiments, described as protean and malleable, serving as the EP's most powerful instrument.
On "flickering," instrumentation recedes, allowing Wise's voice to take center stage. His singing borders on glossolalia, yet resonates emotionally when his lyrics connect, particularly with his melodramatic yet delivery-infused lines.
