Ego Death Track Review
C: In this piece, we are going to talk about “Ego Death”, a collaboration featuring Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye West, FKA twigs and Skrillex. Let’s dive in.
L: This song has a serious line-up and sometimes I don’t know what to expect with high-profile collaborations, but this one has just as much substance as it does style. FKA twigs, Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign and Skrillex each bring something unique to the table. Each time a new artist swings into the song, I feel a true sea change.
C: Absolutely. Each part feels very fresh and exciting. I also love how before each feature, they use a different sample as a transition. It’s a cool way to maintain interest. Skrillex’s production on this is really fun and it has a very minimal, house vibe to it.
L: The house beat is super rich here. I would love to see an extended dance remix of it. Right from the first beat, it’s full of ambience.
C: For sure. It sets the mood of the song right off the bat. It feels very dark and sort of menacing, yet also fun. It’s very cool. The production makes it sound like voices in your head as you’re in a dimly lit club.
L: Let’s talk about the lyrics now. When you told me about this song, I wasn’t familiar with Ty Dolla $ign and wondered whether he was a substantive songwriter. The song is called Ego Death, which is a very Zen idea: “Ego death is where you find happiness, That’s the only place you find happiness.” I’m reading a book by Eckhart Tolle right now and it’s all about the misinterpretation of ego and the spiritual rewards of abandoning our egos. So these lyrics speak to me.
C: To be honest, when I first listened, I thought it was a song about a girlfriend who killed people’s egos for fun, but it makes a lot more sense talking about finding happiness after a breakup. Kanye also does a pretty good job of provoking our thoughts (not to mention the “NERD”s out there) in his verse.
Rating: This is a full-bodied and rich collaboration with great lyrics and heavy ambience. We love it.
C + L
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