February 2021 saw the mystifying artist, known as Van Tastik, release a brand new single. He is an artist with many experiences and one who has experimented with many genres. The latest single goes by the name of Hangman and is a blend of these experiences and experimentations; fusing blues, Americana, folk, a hint of nu-metal and a touch of something unique. Van Tastik is an artist of great talent, with a unique voice and a musical style that captivates. The Elevate team are honoured to analyse this song; and try and work out how the Church of Van Tastik preaches so effectively.
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When My Hangman Comes...
Sitting at 4 minutes and 45 seconds, Hangman is about the narrator singing this very song as the hangman approaches his gallows. The narrator admits he has done wrong, but this no redemption song. Nor is it a song asking for forgiveness for the wrongs that been done. Rather, it is a story where the narrator has seemingly accepted his fate, but will walk to the gallows in-front of the blood thirsty crowd with his head held high. A very simple story sits behind this song but it is one that could carry some important allegorical messages. Van Tastik embraces many poignant themes in his songs and Hangman could very well be addressing the idea that you must face the consequences of your actions with humility and strength. Just as the narrator will sing a song to hold his head high, we must do this in society when facing adversity and the negative consequences of our actions. We also particularly enjoyed the line 'When you see me hanging there, remember I'm still your son' . This points to the idea that despite any wrong-doings, a person is still a human being and always someone's son or daughter. In the digital world, it is sometimes very easy to forget that the person on the other side of the screen is also a human.
Musically, Hangman is a dirty blues song, with an Americana flare buried behind a heavy, and almost slightly broken, sounding distorted guitar. Hangman is, however, like a labyrinth; you need only to enter a few feet to understand that this song has complexity, depth, character and a hint of something special. From the first second we are hit with the aforementioned gritty guitar line, entwined with a catchy blues rift. Following this rift, an elusive stomp finds a home underneath the song's melody. This stomp acts as the drum, adding punch and, with the tambourine sizzles, character. The opening soundscape captivates you instantly and we feel it can remind you of storytelling circles and those intimate gigs where the performer unites the audience with song. This is the perfect atmosphere for storytelling and Van Tastik makes it effortlessly. We must also point out that the use of other noises, such as buzzes and what sounds like piano notes, help the entire soundscape grow in size and strength. A very clever way of ensuring your songs feel full and attain high production value.
This soundscape is the basis for the entire song and it provides a platform for Van Tastik's unique vocal line. This is a voice that evokes energy as soon as a single note is produced. It can accompany music, but can equally captivate you in a acapella setting. To say Van Tastik's vocals make this song what it is, would be unfair to the guitars, the stomp and the song's structure, but the vocal line is undoubtedly one of the highlights. A rough but smooth blues tone, resonating with soul sits over the song as Van Tastik tells us he will sing this song as the hangman comes. A voice you must absolutely hear (and not just in this record, but in a live setting too).
The guitars, the stomp and the vocal line create Hangman's atmosphere, but we have to praise the structure and the song writing. While this track does have verses and a notable chorus (that is played throughout), this production does not lend itself to the traditional verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, chorus structure found in many contemporary songs. Rather, we have verses of varying length, an instrumental section that lasts almost a minute and a chorus that consists of a few words. This allows the music to stand front and centre of this song, while also allowing the story to be told in a fluid manner. Yes the story is simple, but the song's structure ensures that it does not need to be complex. It's a song about a song, with energy and a simple message. We could not see this record working in any other way and this a demonstration of excellent song writing.
It's A Place for the Rough and Smooth to Meet
There is no doubt this is excellent. With an impressive melody, excellent song writing and that something special that only Van Tastik can bring, this is one for the top of your playlist. For us, the antithesis between Van Tastik's rough guitar, his powerful stomp and his blues-filled vocal line is the stand out feature. His bluesy vocals power through this record and transform it from a great melody to an outstanding single. Whether by design or chance, the two sounds compliment each other, fill the musical spectrum and translate into energy and a great vibe. If you are a fan of storytelling songs, dirty blues and a touch of gypsy folklore then this is the song you have been looking for. Even if you are not a fan of these things, you cannot afford to miss this one. So, how does Van Tastik preach so effectively? He embraces dirty and soulful blues, with grit and Americana vibes; mixing them into a song that you can only appreciate and be captivated by.
Who is Van Tastik?
According to his Spotify Bio Van Tastik is descended from noblemen, paupers, tradesmen and sailors - many of them shrouded in mystery. If this does not spark your attention in this artist, then nothing will... expect the amazing quality of his music! Van Tastik is a one man band who pulls together outstanding guitar playing with a bluesy, gritty and soul-esque vocal line. While currently based in the Netherlands, his music pulls together his plethora of experience in the different cultures he has lived in and discovered. These experiences are bounded with his creative talents to explore everything from melancholy to hope, from loss to silver linings. To date we have heard three excellent and very different singles from the man and these singles are all leading to his upcoming album The Church of Van Tastik, which we cannot wait to hear. If you are like us, then make sure you join his church and follow Van Tastik on all the social media sites. Put his music to the top of your playlist!
https://www.vantastik.com
www.facebook.com/VanTastikArtist/
www.instagram.com/van.tastik/
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