John Askew & Shelby Merry Drop “Wild Horse” (Original & Siskin Remix)
Wild Horse’ is John Askew’s latest collaboration with Shelby Merry and the final single to be released ahead of A Room Full Of Pros And Cons, his hotly anticipated third longform. Also taking the role of the album’s swansong finale, comparative to anything John’s released before “Wild Horse” is a markedly different animal.
Seasoned John Askew listeners will immediately sense the change in gear, tone and intent: somewhat akin to an out of body experience for the English producer. “Wild Horse”s intense, humid atmospheres haze the studio’s windows, as its beats kick with a slower, more brooding resonance. Around them artfully drawn strings, celestially streaming fx and the most casual or breakbeat loops all raise its pressure. Think mid-nineties Massive Attack, with heavier drums and you’re not far from the mark.
Having previously cut her teeth on “Steady & Stronger” and “When Darkness Comes”, Nashville’s Shelby Merry is already a thoroughbred Askew collaborator. “Wild Horse” may be a case of “saving the best (or at least most intense!) till last”. From the opposing perspective she relates a tale of deception, gaslighting and mindgames, baring her soul to convey real world conversations and experiences. Contrastingly, she shares her story of “girl-meets-wrong-boy”, leaving it up to the audience to conclude who’s saying what and to what end.
John deferred on the remix, passing “Wild Horse”s reins to an outfit eminently capable of handling complex lyrics (you could even say they’ve built a career on it!). For something as intimate as “Wild Horse”, progressive forms the perfect bedrock, which is exactly what Sue and Suzanne supply. Drum roll, pulsing LFO, reverb-heavy percussion, raincry harmonies and Siskin’s fluid melodies all lend Shelby’s song a curiously optimistic filter.
