Today, April 5, Derek Simpson released “wonka” and its accompanying lyric video. Simpson’s artistic style has evolved since we last featured him. His vocals at the forefront of this soft production isolate him where as in “Hide + Seek”, his voice blends in. This isolation heightens the confusion that the lyrics in “wonka” portray.
It’s a beautiful semi-electronic, semi-shoegaze track that utilizes Simpson’s signature sound. The line “deconstruction is almost done” introduces a mystifying instrumental break adding a new layer to the song. “Where were we tomorrow? / Where were we again?” echoes at the tail end, emphasizing the uncertainty Simpson has of the situation portrayed in “wonka”.
Simpson had this to say about the theme of the song:
It’s an unsafe place you go to when you allow yourself to be in love. You’re putting clothes on and taking clothes off trying to imagine how your beloved will see you. You’re on exhibition all the time. And no matter your choices, you’re exposed. Right before you remember to breathe out & inevitably everything takes care of itself, the magic will disorient you.
Derek Simpson
Listen to “wonka” on your preferred streaming service. Be sure to check out the lyric video, directed by Simpson and featuring handwritten lyrics, below.
