By 2015, Jennifer Lee had built a substantial resumé as a DJ and producer under her stage name, TOKiMONSTA.
She was the first woman signed to Flying Lotus’ label, and she was the buzziest act in LA. She collaborated with Anderson Paak, and was in high demand as a live act and as a producer.
Then she found out she needed brain surgery.
She had a rare condition called moyamoya disease – in which arteries in the brain are constricted, and blood flow to various parts of the brain is restricted. She underwent two brain surgeries, which were successful.
Except: after the surgeries, she could no longer understand music.
As her brain recovered, she couldn’t make out melody, couldn’t feel rhythm, couldn’t hear anything but a metallic white noise when she tried to listen to any music. This would be heartbreaking for anyone. Imagine being someone whose life and livelihood were rooted in music.
Thankfully, the situation was temporary. She didn’t have to “re-learn” music; she just needed to have the patience to allow her comprehension to come back. Which, eventually, it did.
Her career has continued its upward trajectory in the years since. She has produced for the likes of Justin Timberlake, and her 2017 comeback album was nominated for a Grammy. This song is a 2019 release, and further evidence that the second phase of her career will bring more music worth hearing.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. The first two things the listener hears – organic vinyl pops and what sounds like the soundtrack to an early-90s video game – are a jarring but perfect contrast of digital and analog.
2. The rim hits in the percussion give it a bossa nova vibe, and if you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know I’m a bit of a sucker for bossa nova.
3. Just when it seems like the song is going to carry its groove steadily through its whole two-and-a-bit minutes, there’s a sudden stop at 1:04. The audio melts a bit, reverberates a bit, and then surges into a lovely bridge a few seconds later. It’s wonderful the way the song re-asserts itself, and it makes me think of the re-start Jennifer Lee has successfully navigated in her young and promising career.
Recommended listening activity:
Closing your eyes and visualizing the name of someone you care about.