We all listen to music for different reasons. Some of us are lyrics people, hoping to find solace in the words that are being sung. Others are into the melodies and harmonies, wanting the chord progressions and combinations of sound to rid them of their troubles. Grammy-winning artist Esperanza Spalding knows the power that music has, and is exploring its many effects on her upcoming album, SONGWRIGHTS APOTHECARY LAB.
Over the past few months, Esperanza has collaborated with researchers, practitioners, songwriters, and instrumentalists to create an album that focuses on what a listener truly needs. Each of its 12 songs has a different purpose, whether it is to calm a person in a moment of panic or to help someone heal from the effects of the pandemic. Of course, none of this could have been done without the public’s help, which was used to influence the second half of the album. From music that relaxes to music that startles, the album’s last six tracks boldly showcase the intention of the project. The tracklisting can be found below.
- Formwela 1 (Feat. Ganavya Doraiswamy)
- Formwela 2
- Formwela 3
- Formwela 4 (Feat. Corey King)
- Formwela 5 (Feat. Corey King)
- Formwela 6 (Feat. Corey King)
- Formwela 7
- Formwela 8
- Formwela 9
- Formwela 10
- Formwela 11
- Formwela 13
If you scanned the tracklist, you may notice that “Formwela 13” is the 12th track, instead of “Formwela 12.” Well, if you pre-order SONGWRIGHTS APOTHECARY LAB on vinyl, you will get the elusive “Formwela 12” as a bonus.
Along with the album announcement, Esperanza released “Formwela 10.” The track features a recurring bass line, sharp lyrics, and eclectic, meandering melodies – all presented in spontaneous ways. As far as the purpose of the track, it is “for grieving the consequences of, becoming more alert to, and dissolving one’s own romantic-entitlement tendencies.” You can check out a performance of the track below.
SONGWRIGHTS APOTHECARY LAB will be released September 24, 2021. You can pre-order the CD and the vinyl here.
You can read more about each “Formwela” here.
Keep up with Esperanza Spalding: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // Website
