Monthly Muse: Pharrell Williams doesn’t age

Words by Scenewave Oz - Published on May 17, 2013

It’s come to my attention that Pharrell Williams doesn’t age.

Just look at the photo montage above. The Neptunes man clearly defies physics and science as we know it.

That aside, he’s just reeled off back-to-back number ones in Australia, albeit as the able sidekick of Daft Punk and Robin Thicke consecutively.

By now you’ve all seen the NSFW ‘Blurred Lines’ film clip (above), but that’s not Pharrell’s first foray into lady appreciation (or disrespecting, which I hate). Now don’t get your hopes up, unlike ‘Blurred Lines’, his 2001 N.E.R.D track ‘Lap Dance’ doesn’t have a girl in it that redefines the term ‘10’.

Meanwhile, the last time we saw Robin Thicke, he looked like a shaggy-haired stoner hippy cyclist who enjoyed riding his fixy in the middle of busy city roads.

While much has changed, Pharrell seems to have stayed as relevant as ever – 20 years on!

Everything Everything is everything

The rubbish song titles may be almost gone (‘MY KZ, UR BF’??) but the totally infectious eclectic sound of EE remains.

Cough Cough got the early leg up on my playlist thanks to you savvy internet folk voting it worthy of the Hottest 100, while the rest of the album laid dormant on my harddrive.

It wasn’t until I read Marco’s article that my curiosity was piqued to give it another crack.

Crack is probably a good word to use, such is the addiction I have developed to their January release, Arc.

This album is an absolute gem. Give it time though. Layered and dynamic, I’ve had a good 30 listens and it’s still as rewarding (and revealing) as ever.

On repeat: ‘No Plan’, ‘Don’t Try’, ‘Duet ([alternative Version])’, ‘The House Is Dust’.

Trials of the past

Looking back at some older gear, I’ve been smashing SBTRKT lately. Released in June 2011, Aaron Jerome’s collaboration with Sampha was an absolute masterstroke. I honestly can’t get enough of that sound. Surely they’ve gotta be due a new album soon.

Another album I’ve dug up is Hot Chip’s 2006 release, The Warning. Listen to ‘And I Was Boy From School’ and ‘The Warning’.

On the radar

Just noticed people are starting to smash Letherette. Sounds like a more intense Seekae. Seems to be worth a listen.

The playlist