Cool Down From New York Fashion Week With L.A.’s Baths
L.A.’s Will Wiesenfield has been one of those quietly prolific musicians. Before trading in the moniker “[Post-foetus]” for “Baths,” Wiesenfeld has already released 5 albums, 3 EPs and pursued an ambient side-project under the name “Geotic.” It wasn’t until this past summer, when Wiesenfeld released Cerulean, his debut album as Baths, that the limelight finally revealed some hidden talent to the public.
The beat-making scene in the city of angels has taken off in recent years, and although it seems like the 22 year-old Baths could be likened to the kind of “kids who started making beats six months ago [and] think they can get on stage because their drums are off” (something Flying Lotus once described to Pitchfork), Wiesenfeld is a seasoned beat-maker and musician. An upright piano has been sitting in his room in Chatsworth, CA since he was 4-years-old, and his first electronic piece took form at the age of 13.
Baths dropped his latest sonic venture, “Exit the Mine,” onto SoundCloud last week. His description casually informs that he “futzed [sic] around and made this entirely on an iPad” one afternoonthe musical equivalent to climbing Everest with your eyes closedand so we’re able to see the true genius of the track.
Wiesenfeld exploits the poor recording quality, turning it into background noise that sounds like something in between rain and breeze. One can also hear the clicks that were probably made when he turned the iPad on, being manipulated in a subtle beat.
Baths’ music has a modesty and simplicity that, in light of New York Fashion Week‘s flamboyant and vivacious displays, is a much-needed refreshment. “Let’s come back down to earth,” I think he’s telling us. “Take off your ridiculously high heels and gather ’round my iPad.”
Download “Exit the Mine” by Baths for free here.
