This new version re-harmonizes the original vocals from Optometry with moody pads, buzzy basses, and inventive drum edits. For as long as Will Wiesenfeld has been Baths, he’s been trafficking in perfect pieces of pop. More often and more interestingly, he makes near-perfect pieces of pop. A classically trained singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Wiesenfeld first emerged with his Baths moniker in 2009, after a stint as [Post-Foetus] and the birth of another, still-active project known as Geotic.
“(I) Had a lot of fun with this! Great song to start with so I let the the lead vocal and guitar work sort of guide the framework for the remix. Kept the rhythm smacky and the emotions wide, hopefully taking it to a place as interesting as the original :).”
Bath (Will Wiesenfeld)
His music, which merged the glitchy, punishing gloom of L.A.’s beat scene with sunnier melodies and vocals that often drifted into falsetto, was an instant sensation. It was as experimental as it was comforting, a warm blanket made from the rarest linens.
Publications like Pitchfork heaped praise on his debut album, 2010’s Cerulean. The album codified the sound. Obsidian followed three years later and received Pitchfork’s coveted Best New Music nod. The album chronicled Wiesenfeld’s recovery from a ghastly illness. And was even more well-received.
Twice as bittersweet…
His 2017-release, Romaplasm, exists in the emotional crevices that are left unexplored in polite company or at stilted cocktail parties. This LP is less outwardly grim than the darker half of Obsidian. However the track is twice as bittersweet. This LP reimagines approachable pop songs as pieces of scaffolding. These feeling can be lived in, expanded and retracted, or torn down entirely.
Will has released remixes and features for Odesza in the past few years. He has also worked with Hrishikesh Hirway, the creator of the podcast Song Exploder. Additionally, he has collaborated with Katie Dey and Loraine James, among many others. His “re-imagining” of the Imogen Heap song “The Quiet” in 2019 was a definitive highlight.
In July of 2023, Will released the two-volume original soundtrack for the Netflix animated series Bee and PuppyCat. He also just completed his first film score for Corey Sherman’s debut feature Big Boys. The film just received an audience award at Outfest. It also got glowing reviews in The Guardian and Variety.
Artist: Optometry (John Tejada, March Adstrum)
Single: Wrong Thing (Baths Remix)
Label: Palette Recordings
Release Date: Aug 23rd, 2024 (digital, all platforms)
Pre-save: hypeddit
About
Optometry is a Los Angeles-based music duo comprised of electronic musician John Tejada and singer March Adstrum. The band focuses on themes of life, love and loss. They weave seductively melancholic textures together with synths, drum machines, guitars and bass. Adstrum’s ethereal voice brings the electronics to life with heartfelt expression and emotion. Tejada’s use of vintage rhythm boxes, synths, and effects provides a solid sense of authenticity.
You must be logged in to post a comment.