From being influenced by Glenn Branca to emulating Playboi Carti, former Sonic Youth bassist and singer Kim Gordon has never been afraid to shift her sound over her four-decade career. Her latest song, “BYE BYE,” blends classic no wave-inspired noise rock with contemporary music trends.
Gordon begins the song by reciting a routine, presumably before traveling: “Buy a suitcase, pants to the cleaner.” The rest of the lyrics are a laundry list of items she needs to pack, from milk thistle to a turtleneck, which she delivers in a deadpan half rap, half spoken word dialogue with an effortless swagger. Accompanied with the lyrics is a trap beat and noisy, apocalyptic industrial rhythms.
The song goes off the rails halfway through as Gordon finishes her list and lets the instrumental take over, turning into a dissonant rock song with trap beats. It reminds me of Nine Inch Nails adapted for the modern day through its sheer abrasiveness and digital atmosphere. When I first heard the song, I was stunned by its balance of off-the-walls experimentation and genuine quality.
“BYE BYE” is a great start to music this year, and I am amazed by Gordon’s ability to push rock music and hip hop’s boundaries by combining the genres’ ethoses, something that many artists try and fail to achieve. After all these years, Gordon is still the coolest musician in underground rock.
