Clipping., the experimental rap trio, has consistently pushed boundaries, and their sixth album, Dead Channel Sky, is no exception. The album delves into cyberpunk themes, drawing inspiration from a variety of non-musical sources. This article explores eight key influences, revealing how William Gibson, hacktivism, computer-generated art, and even a subtle connection to ‘The Wire’ shaped the album’s unique sonic landscape. We’ll examine how these elements blend to create a dystopian yet hopeful vision of the future, seen through the lens of 1980s cyberpunk literature.
William Gibson and the Haunting of Futures Past
William Hutson, one of the band members, cites William Gibson as a primary source of inspiration, particularly Gibson’s short story ‘The Gernsback Continuum.’ This story explores the haunting visions of a future that never was, as imagined in the science fiction of the 1940s and 50s. Dead Channel Sky acts as an update to this concept, examining our present through the lens of 1980s cyberpunk. The album questions which aspects of that imaginary world came to fruition and which did not.
‘And as I moved among these secret ruins, I found myself wondering what the inhabitants of that lost future would think of the world I lived in.’ – William Gibson
This quote encapsulates the album’s exploration of a ghostly overlay, where past visions of the future haunt our current dystopia. Clipping. invites listeners to consider the paths not taken and the futures that could have been.
Hackers: A Promise of Radical Connectivity
The 1995 film Hackers serves as another key influence, representing a moment when the internet was envisioned as a tool for radical punk potential. Before the dominance of tech giants and the acceleration of societal issues, Hackers captured a vision of interconnectedness that held promise. The film’s soundtrack, a blend of various electronic music genres, also shaped the album’s concept. Hutson describes it as a compilation CD of what the future was imagined to sound like in 1995. The film encapsulates a moment before the internet became ‘crushingly boring,’ and before hackers were largely ‘not sexy at all,’ reflecting a lost hope of the 90s.
Dead Precedents: Hip-Hop and Cyberpunk’s Parallel Evolutions
Roy Christopher’s book, Dead Precedents: How Hip-Hop Defines the Future, played a crucial role in shaping the album’s cyberpunk direction. The book explores the parallel evolutions of hip-hop and cyberpunk fiction, highlighting their shared use of technology and the creation of art from the scraps of industrial capitalism. Both forms offer potential visions for the future, repurposing technology through computer hacking and turntablism. Christopher’s insights provided a framework for understanding the connection between these two seemingly disparate cultural forms.
Future Ancestral Technologies: Reclaiming the Future
Cannupa Hanska Luger’s ongoing work, Future Ancestral Technologies, presents a post-colonial, post-capitalist future where the detritus of our present culture is recycled into ceremonial regalia. This Indigenous-led civilization seeks to heal humanity’s relationship with the Earth and other species. Luger’s vision offers a radical possibility in the face of collapsing oppressive systems. Hutson’s conversations with Luger emphasized the potential for a hopeful and inspirational outcome, envisioning a future where oppressive forces are removed, allowing for a rebuilding of society.
The Designers Republic’s Wipeout: Precision and Visual Density
The design work of Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic for the WipEout video game series served as a significant influence on the album’s art. Anderson’s precision and visual density resonated deeply with the band, particularly Hutson, a Formula 1 fan who appreciates the visual aesthetics of liveries. The band granted Anderson creative freedom, resulting in album art that reflects the rave music influences and the overall cyberpunk aesthetic. The band saw him as one of their greatest inspirations, realizing that they would be lucky to work with him.
Hacking the Xbox: Breaking Closed Systems
Jonathan Snipes contributed Andrew ‘bunnie’ Huang’s Hacking the Xbox: An Introduction to Reverse Engineering, as a key influence. The book explores hardware hacking, specifically the act of breaking into closed, proprietary systems to uncover hidden possibilities. This represents the radical potential of the hacker figure, a potential that feels increasingly distant as internet culture is radicalized toward negative ideologies. The book highlights the importance of using tools in ways that defy their intended purpose.
Magic Eye Posters: Obscured Storytelling
Daveed Diggs suggested Magic Eye posters as an influence, noting the way storytelling is obscured within the visual noise patterns. Like the hidden images in these posters, Dead Channel Sky requires listeners to blur their focus on the surface-level artifice to glean deeper meaning. Even without deciphering the hidden meaning, the album offers a trippy and engaging surface to explore.
Parenthood: Hope in a Bleak World
The experience of becoming fathers during the album’s creation influenced the overall tone, resulting in a more hopeful work than previous projects. While still pessimistic and critical, Dead Channel Sky embraces the sonic world of the rave, often seen as a fleeting utopia. The band’s live shows are parties, creating an ecstatic and collective experience despite the often bleak lyrics. This focus on music designed for large groups points towards the potential for radical change enabled by collective action. This impulse connects to Hannah Arendt’s notion of natality as renewal, emphasizing the responsibility to create a world that each new person can love.
Clipping: A Cyberpunk Vision with Hope
Clipping.’s Dead Channel Sky is a complex and multifaceted album that draws inspiration from a wide range of non-musical sources. From William Gibson’s haunting visions of futures past to the radical potential of hacking and the hopeful vision of Indigenous Futurism, the album explores themes of technology, society, and the potential for change. By blending these influences with their signature experimental sound, Clipping. has created a unique and compelling cyberpunk experience. Despite the dystopian themes, the album ultimately offers a message of hope, emphasizing the importance of collective action and the potential for a better future. The subtle nod to ‘The Wire,’ through its exploration of societal structures and systemic issues, further enriches the album’s thematic depth, making it a thought-provoking and sonically captivating work.
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