Adult Swim has welcomed yet another musical artist into their wacky, wonderful lineup of bizarre animated shows. Cat Power has loaned her vocal talents to the season finale of Adult Swim’s China IL series.
It seems like a lifetime ago when Cat Power released her last record, 2012’s Sun. Indeed, Cat Power has been something of a low-key figure over the last few months, ever since she had to cancel a couple of concerts due to illness. Before that occurrence, she also had to postpone a few European tour dates back in 2012 due to personal illness as well. With the lack of appearances by Cat Power, fans have been clamoring for more opportunities to see the indie sensation in any sort of capacity. Well, fans now have the opportunity to connect with Cat Power once again when the season finale for the Adult Swim show China IL airs tomorrow night.
In the finale, Cat Power lends her vocal chops to a singing gorilla that’s locked in a cage, drowning in her sorrows. The gorilla has apparently been in captivity all of her life, and she’s on the verge of being processed as a fuel by the character The Dean (voiced by none other than Hulk Hogan). The scene featuring Cat’s vocals hit you directly in the feels and almost refuses to let go, an unusually deep emotional moment in the Adult Swim network. The gorilla types out the lyrics to a song on a mechanical keyboard that’s latched onto her arm, and she seems like the most miserable creature in the whole world. The character itself is a thinly-veiled tribute to the film Congo, which also featured gorillas that the audience could sympathize with and even pity.
While Cat Power’s vocals in the scene add a new emotional layer that brings a tear to the eye, the casting of Cat was a major coup by a network that has always looked to the fringes of the recording industry and the indie scene to provide a musical backdrop for their shows.
The season finale of China IL will air on Sunday, June 14th, at 11:30 EST on Adult Swim.