The Narcotix is a West African art-folk band based in Brooklyn, with feathers all over. — Bandcamp bio
Words by Jason Lee
Photo by Beto Espinosa
It’s a simple, observable fact that there are many different types of “vibes” in this world and perhaps beyond like chill vibes or aggro vibes for instance but what about when the vibes in question are simply vibey like with The Narcotix whose music is not easily reducible to one or two basic emotional components but which instead transports listeners to an alien yet oddly familiar affective terrain or at least potentially does for those most sympathetic to the vibrational frequencies at play…
…and while their music may have a fittingly narcotic quality to it in terms of being mood-elevating and even euphoric we don’t mean to imply “narcotic” in terms of encouraging self-destructively addictive behavior but rather in terms of music having the power to realign one’s internal physiological and psychological rhythms to healing frequencies…
Photo (L): Beto Espinosa
Photo (R): Florencia Villa
…which is a theory you can put to the test yourself by listening to The Narcotix’s recent pair of singles “The Lamb” and “The Sun,” songs borne from the core pairing of Brooklyn-by-way-of-Virginia-by-way-of-African-immigrant–parents Esther Quansah (bass guitar, electric guitar, vocals) and Becky Foinchas (keyboards, vocals) working alongside Matt Bent (drums), Jesse Heasly (bass guitar), and Adam Turay (electric guitar) and others…
…cuz seriously, just listen to “The Lamb” which starts off like some sort of medieval Wicker Man style madrigal with a pair of voices trading off syllables like chiming bells in a bell tower with guitar lines that sound like dappled sunlight, soon enough overtaken by an undulating sea of rhythmic heavy breathing, soon enough overtaken by a pillowy cloud of ambient angelic ooh’s and ahh’s, plus a sneaky-snake baseline, as a single voice emerges and urges “come all / come all / to the garden” where you’ll “find truth” and “find g*d inside yourself”…
…at which point things suddenly shift from the hypnotically swaying waltz time of the opening to a herky-jerky 5/4 timeline that’s highly vibey I mean seriously that drum ’n’ percussion groove wit bass and guitar weaving in and out like a lamprey eel and while the following may sound antithetical to some “The Lamb” comes to resemble an off-world Radiohead-meets-Funkadelic…
Playing the Rogue Music Fest, 2023
…and heck we’re not even a full minute into the song up to this point which on the whole is like a psych-inflected progressive soul “Bohemian Rhapsody” with contrasting sections that flow seamlessly one into another and then if you put on the “The Sun” right after it’ll only sustain and intensify the woozy sensation you’re already feeling cuz if ever there was a song that blindfolded you and spun you around and convinced you to play pin the tail on the manta ray then I’d say “The Sun” is that song what with its interweaving Congolese melody lines and intertwined, ever-intensifying, call-and-response vocals which is perfect cuz we’re more than happy to oscillate wildly in “The Sun”’s orbit…
…and like we said, vibey, to the point where you’ll likely to feel like you’ve had your inner frequencies re-tuned by these two songs because you probably have—an impression only enhanced by the singles’ awesomely mystical artwork created by Mareano Ruiz Rosillo/Base Lunar—and hey if you wanna get even more onto the Narcotix’s frequency (and why wouldn’t you?!) well you’re in luck cuz we got some additional insights below into “The Lamb” and into the band’s upcoming Dying LP (releases on March 1st!) in a DELI EXCLUSIVE (boo-yah!) straight from the musical source…
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THE NARCOTIX: “The Lamb” invites listeners, and all beings, to be fearlessly and relentlessly exposed. Through this whimsical waltz, we reimagine the ritual of communion through a dreamy, light-hearted gaze. The “garden” represents the deepest parts of the innermost, where the roots of our fears, traumas, and subconscious desires reside. Though often portrayed as a frightening place worth avoiding, we highlight the glory that comes with exploring the unknown. What does one do with the Lamb? you sacrifice it to know thyself.
DYING is a nine-track album written and arranged by The Narcotix. The album is rooted in the practice of exercising unwavering vulnerability whilst creating. We investigate themes of meditation, spiritual alchemy, and transmutation in our daily lives to address existential questions about the innermost self. This offers both artists and listeners a mirror to subvert, challenge, and transcend musical landscapes that reflect an image closer to one’s true self, flaws and all. The project is sociologically lawless in nature but respectful to the heart. Woven within the fibers of Dying is a deeply spiritual aesthetic that challenges time and sonic reality through a formless usage of our surroundings.
ABOVE (from official website):“The Narcotix–Live in Studio” is a recording of a studio concert showcasing the songs “Rebecca”, “Lilith”, and “John/Joseph” from our debut EP Mommy Issues. The session was recorded in April 2021 at GB’s Juke Joint in Long Island City, NY. This piece showcases our passion for transforming performance spaces into scenes/environments that mirror the theatrical journey of the music. Our intention is to create a sort of sanctuary, reflecting the sanctity of creating music and to pay respect to the art form and the spirits that inspire us to create. It’s also our opportunity to more visually reflect the role of spirituality and ceremony in our art.
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DYING CREDITS
All songs composed by Esther Quansah & Becky Foinchas. Blessings to all the greats that helped to birth Dying:
Colin Mohnacs (mixing engineer/producer/doula)
Glen Forrest (GB’s Juke Joint)
Shawn Hatfield (mastering)
Daniel Gill (PR)
Geraldo Marshall (trumpet)
Ledah Finck (violin/viola)
George Winstone (piano/saxophone)
Murphy Aucamp (percussion/conga)
Ross Mayfield (piano)
Toko (photography)
Florencia Villa (photography)
Mareano Ruiz Rosillo/Base Lunar (artwork)
…and obs all of the members of The Narcotix: Matt Bent (Drums), Jesse Heasly (Bass), and big love extra-special thanks to the day-one Adam Turay (Guitar) for heart-crafting this now living breathing thing with us.
Dying was made with support from: The NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre by the City of New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment in association with The New York Foundation for the Arts.