alt-J Join Forces with Pusha-T & Twin Shadow for Re-worked Version of RELAXER Single "In Cold Blood" (Canvasback/Infectious Music)
Late Thursday night into early Friday morning, while everyone else was listening to the livestream of Nas' Kanye-produced NASIR EP from G.O.O.D. Music's Queens Listening Session/Party, I was listening to alt-J on Repeat, instead. Right around 12:10am, I got an email from Atlantic Records titled "New Version of "In Cold Blood" Released Today;" when I opened up said alt-J Fan Club email, I learned it was actually, a Twin Shadow re-work of RELAXER single "In Cold Blood" with a guest verse from G.O.O.D. Music Prez. Pusha-T himself. It wasn't until a little later, I realized alt-J had actually, appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Thursday night with Twin Shadow frontman George Lewis, Jr. and Pusha-T in tow to perform the world premiere of "In Cold Blood" (Twin Shadow Version.) Now, let me just say this: I'm a fan of all three artists' bodies of work, especially, alt-J's RELAXER, Pusha-T's My Name Is My Name, and Twin Shadow's Forget (2010) and string of early singles... although, I would NEVER have expected them to link up for a collaboration. However, with that said, "In Cold Blood" (Twin Shadow Version) is an original, surprisingly fluid and cohesive re-work of alt-J's stand-out Indie Pop/Prog Rock single from last year's RELAXER. Side note: if you haven't yet already, you really HAVE to check out the original video for alt-J's Casper Balslev-directed "In Cold Blood" narrated by Iggy Pop and co-starring an adorable little wood mouse.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have done this collaboration with Pusha-T and Twin Shadow," alt-J enthusiastically stated within a press release. "They are two artists who really sum up the amazing music scene that we have in 2018. What they have done with our track is inventive, playful, and very forward-thinking. We hope you love it as much as we do."
Pusha-T added: "I've been on festival bills with alt-J around the world for a few years now and was excited to get the call to collaborate with them on this record." On it, Pusha-T ferociously rhymes: "It's hot at night in the summertime (ooh!) / The Summer's mine, that's underlined / King Push, Kingpin put none over mine / Dope boys workin' overtime" and honestly, that's just the tip of the iceberg! alt-J's Pusha-T & Twin Shadow-assisted performance of "In Cold Blood" from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is now available to view online—this version with the slightly extended into prior to Pusha's version is my favorite!—along with an artsy shape-shifting YouTube visualizer, which you can watch below. alt-J's "In Cold Blood" Feat. Pusha-T (Twin Shadow Version) is now available to steam or purchase from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube Music, and like-minded digital retailers. Pusha-T's infamous beef-starting Kanye-produced DAYTONA is now available on G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam, as well as Twin Shadow's latest, Caer, out now on Warner Bros. Records/Reprise Records.