The Roots have made available the final track from undun, in the form of a four movement work in collaboration with Sufjan Stephens and avante garde pianist D.D. Jackson. As previously reported, the Roots’ Questlove commented on drawing inspiration from Sufjan Stephens’ song “Redford” from his album Michigan, basing undun on a fictional man named Redford Stephens.
Head over to Sterogum to hear three of the movements, including Stephens’ original version of “Redford (For Yia Yia and Pappou), as well as “Possibility (Second Movement” and “Will to Power (Third Movement).
On the first song, “Redford (For Yaya and Pappou), Sufjan plays a soft piano unaccompanied. “Possibility” is short and sweet, beginning with avante garde pianist D.D. Jackson playing a gentle piano with a light string section behind it, but it quickly escalates into chromatic mayhem as Quest pounds in wild syncopation to the increasingly manic sounds of the piano. “Will to Power” is the final movement and begins right in the midst of chaos where “Possibility” left off.
To hear the fourth movement, head over to the Roots’ homepage and get yourself a copy of undun.