CocoRosie Renders in Rich Sonic Detail the Unlikely Friendship Between Ghosts and the Living on “Burning Down the House”

CocoRosie_BurningDownTheHouse1_sm — CocoRosie, photo courtesy the artists

Not to be confused with the Talking Heads song of the same name, CocoRosie’s “Burning Down The House” is a single from the duo’s new album Put the Shine On (released March 13, 2020). But the resonance with the way the Talking Heads seemed to put a unique stamp on each of its own records, CocoRosie imbues each of its offerings with its own creative identity. This song sounds like Sierra and Bianca Casady used the structure and methods of making a hip-hop beat with its use of samples and production techniques to write something that sounds very organic and handcrafted. From the unique rhythms and textures, the unconventional vocals, strings and dulcimer one gets a view into a world where the living communicate with ghosts and form a friendship and a path of freedom and fulfillment for all involved. It is almost symbolic of the way CocoRosie uses imagination and creativity to transcend the arbitrary limitations of identity and art to better express something genuine and rich from one’s own idiosyncrasies rather than adhering to a popular style. That said, listening to “Burning Down The House” is a beautiful fusion of Tin Pan Alley pop, Americana, hip-hop and outsider music but immediately accessible precisely because there is an undeniable appeal to the way the Casady sisters create something that not only honors their own creative instincts but shows some respect for potential listeners in delivering something that isn’t a drab clone of something someone else already made. Listen to “Burning Down the House” on Spotify and connect with CocoRosie at the links below.