Aesop Rock has just shared the second single & video from his forthcoming album Integrated Tech Solutions (out November 10 via Rhymesayers Entertainment). “By The River” is a meditation on Aesop’s love of rivers near and far, with his lyrical process traveling across a hypnotic (and self-produced) jazz-influenced backdrop. With his DIY process, Aesop directed the video himself. The video unexpectedly features his appearance, as he lends the song a literal interpretation by him performing by the river. ITS offered the following as a statement on the track: “ITS supports time spent next to all bodies of water, as they continue to be a hotbed of integrated technology as well as a muster point for brainstorming innovators.”
“By the River” starts off with a skateboarder attempting to flip, the blurry footage is followed by grainy shots of a city meant to invoke nostalgia; it gives quite a 90’s feel to the viewer. After thirty seconds, he sings. He sings about how therapeutic the river setting can be. “I like rivers, I like rivers Sailboats, fisherman, skinny-dipping swimmers Kids turning rocks over catching lil critters Eagle in the pine tree eyeballing dinner”. He sings about his uncle and how much he enjoyed the river. “My uncle used to cut school to hit the Susquehanna Kept himself a rod and reel he hid up in the bramble The school took attendance, it was quiet as a mouse He was at the river pulling out a giant by its mouth”.
The song isn’t afraid to become morbid with reality. “You might find some lovers getting cozy on the shore Or a cold-blooded psychopath disposing of a corpse”. The song isn’t afraid to become vulgar despite its themes of nature. “I wish that we could rock a beat and smoke an L at Tone’s I miss the way you rhyme and how you never had a clone”. He sings about how he likes rivers in the present day. “I jumped into the Amazon to launder all my atoms The Chao Praya had me spilling coffee on the captain My heart is the East River floating on a frisbee That came in from the Long Island Sound to sojourn in the city”. Things get dark again as he imagines being abducted. “I picture a scenario where someone’s held me captive And escape would mean to build a raft and navigate some rapids”. There’s also this “In practice I have no desire get into the water I like to know it’s there in the event I ever wanna Waterfalls, tributaries, Lichtenberg figures”. The song ends with him saying “I like rivers”.
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