Though SBTRKT began his music career working under his given name, Aaron Jerome, he’s spent recent years as a producer and DJ, obscured behind an identity constructed by
the masks he wears. Arguably these masks are SBTRKT’s way of subverting the often insatiable gaze the public turns upon celebrities.
It’s no wonder then that his latest release, a collaboration with Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek called “Look Away,” plays with the idea of rejecting someone else’s attention.
Polachek tells listeners to “look away,” over listless, piano-laden production, reminding them that an unnamed woman “was never yours for the having.”
Between the lyrics and the interactive music video where viewers try and fail to lock eyes with the face of an obscured woman, there seems to be an underlying message. Polachek tells us to look away while the female visage featured in the video demonstrates her ability to refuse to engage with the viewer. It’s almost as if the song is pushing us to think about a women’s agency to reject anyone she doesn’t want in her space, including a scorned suitor.
While Polachek’s lush voice feels at home in the entrancing soundscape, it comes off a little lonely. The record perhaps could have been enhanced by an additional guest possessed of a complementary lyricism or tone to Polachek’s singing.
SBTRKT’s highly anticipated full length, Wonder Where We Land, comes out October 7th on Young Turks. His North American tour dates are as follows:
7/10/14 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
9/10/14 – New Orleans, LA @ Republic New Orleans
10/10/14 – Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
11/10/14 – Mexico City, MX @ Corona Capital Music Festival
12/10/14 – Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
14/10/14 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee Theatre
15/10/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco Theater
16/10/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco Theater
17/10/14 – Oakland, CA @ The Fox
18/10/14 – Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
20/10/14 – Denver, CO @ The Ogden
23/10/14 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
24/10/14 – Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
25/10/14 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
26/10/14 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
29/10/14 – Boston, MA @ Royale
31/10/14 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
1/11/14 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
