From gritty hip hop to cold dark wave, the emerging prospect goes beyond genre to assert an identity all his own.
Emerging as one of the most versatile talents in the realm of heavy music, the dark and dexterous GVLLOW surfaced on the latest installment of Mosh Talks to discuss the forecast for what already looks to be an auspicious 2021.
Touching on the success of his late 2020 track in “Last Dance” the single struck a chord among his most ardent supporters while flexing a some creative bravado with a range that few other artists would dare to attempt.
Tapping the cold audio void of bands like Christian Death and Bauhaus, the song offered the opposite end of the creative spectrum from the gritty, bass heavy death rattle of the provocateur’s brand of hip hop that arguably put him on the map.
GVLLOW would quickly dispel any idea that the stylistic leap was a fluke – in fact, the prospect reasserted that his goth sensibilities have always been part of his artistic DNA. He referenced an earlier album in Waste Away that offered a unique balance of punk and goth – among the influences that have always been nearest and dearest to the musician.
Recalling broken bones and long nights soaking up the subculture of the Southern California punk scene, GVLLOW attributes his receptiveness to various kinds of music to his foundation in counter culture. Citing punk’s premium on spontaneity and authenticity over style points and strategy, GVLLOW attributes his penchant for rough edges and a less-than-polished finished product with what he came to love growing up.
Despite the ability to defy genre and thrive in an a creatively unrestricted gray area comes with a unique set of benefits and obstacles. For those that understand the dark parallels that exists in his various incarnations, the conversation of fans is an easy one. For everyone else, there is a healthy skepticism that comes with navigating such polarizing styles so fluidly. It’s a reality that isn’t lost on GVLLOW but it isn’t something he’s willing to kowtow to just the same.
For GVLLOW, his barometer measures authenticity. Being able to classify the result effectively creates a box that the young artist just won’t be confided to. Working within the limitations genre equate to an artistic compromise for the musician that just doesn’t mesh with his ideals – in both lifestyle and when it comes to his craft.
Be it heavy hip hop or brooding dark wave, the common denominator of authenticity is often underscored with a tendency to delve into the dark stuff too. GVLLOW would go onto explain that his music has doubled as a coping mechanism in the loss of one of his longest, dearest friends. A confidant and a collaborator, the loss of his friend proceeded the evolution of GVLLOW as an artist and in part, fueled a creative streak that helped create the force that exists today.
The last third of the conversation dove into GVLLOW’s kinship with percussive pop culture renaissance man, Travis Barker. Establishing a history with Barker that includes Blink-182 being his first concert and getting Travis’s autograph tattooed as a teenager, GVLLOW now enjoys a friendship with someone he looked up to for years. Connecting over their shared bond of music, the circles in which GVLLOW runs and the company he keeps are indicative of the kind of music he makes – 100% real.
Stream the entire conversation with GVLLOW on Mosh Talks below.
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