Very seldom do we see modern dance music acts stepping outside of their comfort zones and into the complex and nuanced world of live instrumentation. Although several performers like Zedd and Kygo have been seen lending their piano expertise to a select few performances, the actual process of creating their material very rarely involves full-length, live recording. Acapellas, collaborations and features all exhibit the specific live talents of the artists involved, but almost never are these creations made from front to back inside of a recording studio with a complete band at their disposal.
This is why trap producer NGHTMRE‘s latest pursuit comes as such a fascinating and historical addition to his already impressive roster of work. In collaboration with rising hip hop star A-F-R-O and a complete, live ensemble, NGHTMRE took to the studio to craft a unique and soulful original track in one take that was instantly recorded straight to vinyl. From drums and other percussion to a live bassist, pianist, vocalist and trumpeter, the song was practiced and meticulously refined on the spot while the man on the mixing board tweaked and altered the sonic layout simultaneously. The result is a completely unprecedented amalgamation of jazz, electronic, hip hop and soul that displays the best from each contributing performer.
The “Stronger” session has also been transformed into two separate videos. The first, found below, is a stylized and highly engaging reveal of the studio in which the track was made, following the length of the song and each of the contributors that were involved in its process. Coming as the song’s music video, of sorts, the experience of watching the finished product in all of its endearing imperfection and displays of warm collaboration is extremely enjoyable.
The second is a longer, more complete timeline of the song’s creation. Using footage from the group’s extensive practice sessions and interviews with the directors and artists, the entire process of recording the live track straight to vinyl is revealed.
Watch both below.
Image via Oh Dag Yo
