UK industrial noise/rap duo Victor Gurr and James Payne, known as CT Twenty, raise the bar on their second single “Pina Bausch”, the follow-up to “Action Man” which introduced them as a genre-mashing powerhouse of energy and ideas.
The titular Pina Bausch is a celebrated choreographer recognised as a leading light of neo-expressionist dance, but this isn’t an artsy homage. The track is an incendiary juggernaut of electro beats and quick fire lyrical bars that gets more frenzied and frantic with each verse.
Lyricist and rapper James Payne says the track is about “the power words play in everyday situations. Sometimes you might struggle to say the right thing, get your point across, or just end up dancing around a topic.”
“Pina Bausch” opens with a dirty four-to-the-floor beat and oscillating waves of deep bass, like a wounded animal ready to pounce. It springs to life with lyrics that play on quaint English expressions with cross-Atlantic references, like “Go pop a collar if you’re randy” and “I don’t want a sweater, I just want someone to fan me / Can you stan me?” while the track builds layer upon layer of contagious sound underneath. It’s an anthem for a night out that may well end up with you dancing like Pina Bausch… whatever that may look like.
Listen to “Pina Bausch” below or on streaming platforms.
