Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor has partnered with Mike Simonetti, co-founder of the Italians Do It Better label, for a cover of Bonnie "Prince" Billy's "I See A Darkness." The collaboration arrives as Taylor's solo career gains momentum following the spring release of his album "Paris In The Spring," which featured appearances from The Avalanches, Nicolas Godin, and Scritti Politti's Green Gartside.
Taylor and Simonetti recently collaborated on "Perfect Kiss," a track released as a 12" single. The "I See A Darkness" cover represents an intriguing stylistic pivot for Taylor, who typically operates in electronic and dance idioms. The indie-folk composition, originally penned by Will Oldham's Bonnie "Prince" Billy project, sits outside Taylor's usual sonic territory, suggesting both artists are pursuing more exploratory ventures beyond their established brands.
The cover speaks to a broader pattern in contemporary music where electronic producers and synth-pop figures increasingly engage with acoustic and folk traditions. Taylor's "Paris In The Spring" demonstrated this openness to collaboration across genres, while Simonetti's Italians Do It Better label has long championed the intersection of electronic production and alternative sensibilities through artists like Glass Candy and Chromatics.
This project underscores Taylor's willingness to test boundaries following Hot Chip's decades-long career. The band's DNA blends electronic sophistication with pop sensibility, but Taylor's solo work and collaborative efforts suggest deeper interest in exploring folk instrumentation and arrangement. Oldham's original song, known for its sparse arrangement and emotional directness, receives fresh interpretation through this unexpected pairing. The collaboration hints at how contemporary electronic musicians increasingly draw inspiration from indie canon, reimagining canonical indie-folk through modern production techniques and sensibilities.