Tag: unsigned music

VARNISH LA PISCINE‘s jazz-inflected new single ‘Nubian Farlow’, oozes a lush, sprawling instrumentation, where the young artist glides between smooth bars and vocals in this breezy introduction to the world of Varnish La Piscine.

As visually compelling a storyteller as he is sonically, the release of ‘Nubian Farlow’ is accompanied by a hypnotic visualiser focusing on a chef filleting a bowl of fish. The playful shot is taken from Varnish’s self-directed 4-part short film which is being released episodically in the lead up to his EP release this March.

Both an audio-visual and musical work, the four episodes are inspired by the absurd humour of the Coen brothers and the stylised intricacy of Wes Anderson and were shot over 8 days at a lakeside location with the help of the production company Dissidence. The plot revolves around the lake and its magical fish who, for better or worse, entrance the local population with Varnish himself playing the role of a young fisherman (as well as many other actors, including new-gen French rapper Rounhaa).

‘Nubian Farlow’ is joined on This Lake Is Successful by recent release ‘Ring Island’, with the 7-track project comprised of a form of refined pop made up of diverse influences: rap, bossa nova, electronic synth, surf music, reggae and underpinned by Varnish’s singing and rapping as well as three guest artists Makala, Rico TK and Snubnose Frankenstein.

In the six years since the rapper, producer and singer arrived on the scene, Varnish La Piscine (Jephté Mbisi) has crafted a brilliantly creative universe inspired by his love of the iconic rappers and producers of the 2000s and the decade’s swirling, colourful music videos. Growing up in Switzerland surrounded by a family of music lovers, the music at home swung between his parents’ Congolese beats alongside 90’s greats like Sade, Sting and Phil Collins. But it was his love of the 2000s that made Varnish the artist he is today. Admiration for his first musical hero Pharrell Williams imbued in him the importance of combining creative genius with visual flair and that to create something interesting, you need to be different.

With props from the likes of Tyler the Creator and Pharrell Williams himself; the future looks bright for Varnish La Piscine…have a listen to Nubian Farlow below…