p0p w0rms
Weeze
Blending Forms.
p0p w0rms by Weeze.
Written by Alejandro Veciana (he/him)
Mysterious and grainy black and white photographs of metal tubes, posing as sort of worm-like creatures make up the artwork for P0p w0rms, a collection of three new songs by Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist, Dan Criblez, who publishes his experimental music under the name Weeze. Photographed on 35mm by Criblez himself, these metallic creatures serve as a parable of sorts. For Criblez, “these creatures are trying to push you to make digestible music for the world in order to be successful” he sees them as “a visual representation of the feeling of giving into the industry, following you wherever you go.” Criblez often uses visual images not just as an extension of his music but as an equal companion.
p0p w0rms is a departure from his usual, more ambient/electronic work, p0p w0rms sees Weeze dipping his toes into classic songwriting and marks his first foray into lead singing. There’s an aura of simplicity in this three-song record, not just from each of the songs, which hold a straightforward verse/chorus/verse structure, but in the structure of the record itself, which has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
The songs, while traditional from a songwriting standpoint, are full of sonic details and textures in keeping with Weeze’s musical style. Can’t Find My Eyes is the first song of this musical triptych. Snappy and earwormy, Weeze’s fuzzy vocals shine against the backdrop of an easy beat. “I can’t find my eyes anywhere”, he sings in the chorus with a childlike cadence, as if you were invited to sing along– a sort of twisted nursery rhyme. The unsettling image of an eyeless face is a motif in Criblez’s visual work. His drawings often depict warped figures, faceless expressions that morph into deformed human and non-human shapes (think David Cronenberg or David Lynch). And yet unlike Cronenberg or Lynch, there is an endearing quality in his work, not a sinister one.
By the second song, things brighten up a little. Maybe I, starts with a hopeful yet doubtful opening verse, “Maybe I will be okay” repeating the melody and using mono rhymes like “okay”, “say”, “today”, “far away”, “day”…etc. The song is interlaced with intricate instrumental bits that embellish the song throughout, some of which were recorded on tape. Creating sonic contrasts between lofi and hifi recordings, Weeze demonstrates his love for experimenting with forms and shows that he can be both conventional and unpredictable at the same time.
This becomes clear during the third and final song. The beautiful and breezy, At Any Point is where Weeze proves that he can transcend the conventional into something truly original–taking the ordinary into the extraordinary. An imaginative, cool, and vibey track, full of sonic layers and details of intricate electronic beats and soundscapes, the closing song in p0p W0rms may be the best one.
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But music is not the only discipline in which Criblez dwells in. A dedicated visual artist, Criblez has worked in film, animation, drawing, painting and sculpture. Criblez’s more recent short film, Everything’s A Lie, is a visual/musical project that stemmed from the wake of pandemic lockdowns and protests of 2020. The film explores Criblez’s own anxieties around productivity and the creative mind in times of great civil, political, and financial unrest. The short film was released as a visual counterpart to his EP 6 feet apart. The EP and short film were presented as two parts of the same project. One piece of work with multiple dimensions. Criblez’s work is defined by this constant desire to push beyond the limitations of whatever medium or format he is working in. There is a restlessness in trying to push these formal limits, which brings him to experiment with formats, structures, and worlds.
Written by Alejandro Veciana
