W.I.T.C.H. / Astrønne - Once In A Lifetime/Psycho Killer (BBE) [Alt-Pop]

The Slow Music Movement
6 days ago
2 min read

The cover for W.I.T.C.H. and Astrønne's - Once In A Lifetime/Psycho Killer cover versions of Talking Heads classics. Orange background with a simple white line drawing of a suit. Text reads: W.I.T.C.H. Once in a Lifetime, Astrønne Psycho Killer.

Astrønne is a singer and producer born in Cameroon but now living in in Paris where's she's been making musical moves, both with choice collaborators and on her own, for the last three or four years. She's something of a downtempo specialist who has been flirting with creamy machine infused soul, and dreamy sometimes acoustic singer songwriting, but her new single for the ever great BBE Records might just be signalling a new more twisted direction, and I'm all ears.

W.I.T.C.H. are having something of renaissance after being championed in recent years by the Zamrock light shining of Now Again Records, and it's great to hear they haven't lost any of their outsider psychedelic Afro-Rock spirit, despite a serious fifty year journey in music and life, find out a bit more here, and check out their music here.

I used to be more of a cover version fan, but have got fussier over the years as so many artists are releasing covers these days; if I hear another version of Chris Isaac's, "Wicked Game" I'll cry. So it was with trepidation that I clicked play on these versions of two Talking Head's classics - "Once In A Lifetime" and "Psycho Killer" - these are serious songs and if you're going to mess with them then you need to come correct, pay your respects and give them a serious twist. Luckily both Astrønne and W.I.T.C.H. do just that and then some.

W.I.T.C.H get the ball rolling with a suitably fuzzy, weighty guitar rif and shift your arse drums that are suddenly met with a radiant synth motif that sets an oddball, pleasingly contradictory vibe for Emmanuel Jagari Chanda's Byrne replacing lead vocals, and Hannah Tembo and Theresa Ng'ambi's fine backing vocals - don't be shy sing along, you all know the words. To be honest not a lot else happens but sometimes less is more and this version bottles the original essence whilst breathing new life into the original.

More striking is Astrønne's take on "Psycho Killer" which starts off in synth string powered psychedelic new age territory (or something like that) and bearing no relation to the upbeat original. It's not long though before the vocals make an appearance and the penny drops, as the microdosed ambience slowly builds urging Astrønne's vocals to do the same. It's a striking drumless take on the original, until half way through some beats lollop into the picture and the sounds of an acoustic guitar are looped into the shapeshifting soundscape, Astrønne gamely riding the madness around her, but hold tight she's not done yet. Suddenly the track unexpectedly glitches and splutters creating room for the beats to double time and, just as you thought there couldn't be any more surprises, set up an even more twisted finale.

Two classic tunes, two great remixes - tune in.