Play No Games
From Concept to Realization: the making of a song
“Play No Games” is one of my favourite songs on Parallel World. It’s produced by a Toronto artist named Korea Town Acid. I started seeing her performing live and DJing around town a few years ago and I was instantly compelled by her music. Jess makes raw electronic beats with hardware and it’s so singular. She’s a true oddball and it makes her really stand out. I was happily surprised when she told me she listened to my old records back in the day.
Something I look for when I’m selecting beats is music with an organic, human quality to it. I want my instrumentals to feel alive and not be stiff or stagnant, whether they’re made with cheap computer software or the highest end gear available. I love tracks that seem like they’re telling a story or speaking their own language. I’m attracted to colourful playful sounds because they encourage me to experiment and have fun with what’s there.
When I got this beat from Jess, I was thrilled! I had sent her some grime tracks I liked as references and she came through with something even more alien than I expected.
After the paywall, read on to learn the methods I used to write this song as well as the political and cultural influences that brought me to write one of my most controversial lyrics.
