Karina Rykman has returned with her sixth-ever single, “Arbitrary”, out now across streaming platforms. This latest release comes as the buoyant bassist continues to bolster her solo catalog with a steady stream of songs.
“Arbitrary” is a totally different animal than “No Occasion“, the previous single from the Marco Benevento bassist. Inspired by hip-hop beats from artists like Snoop Dogg and the instrumental works of Beastie Boys, Rykman and producer/collaborator Gabe Monro set about making a beat she could live inside of. The result is a slow swagger that ambles along the sidewalk to verses of slacker rap that get far more existential than the chill beat may indicate.
“I wrote it mid-quarantine, and it was just kind of a reaction to how absolutely everything is arbitrary, and every choice, every card you get dealt, nothing’s guaranteed,” Rykman told Live For Live Music. “I’m just like, with false prophets, and sheisters, and lawyers, and clowns, and actors, and con artists, and f*cking mimes, and marketing moguls, and everybody in the business of deception. Every call, every decree, every sentence, every indictment, every market change, it’s all chance. You know what I mean?”
Whereas “No Occasion” was the knee-jerk reaction to live it up and enjoy every Tuesday out of lockdown, “Arbitrary” stands as a reminder of the lessons we learned throughout our pandemic experience. Though it still contains the hallmarks of Rykman’s stellar power-trio—namely guitarist Adam November‘s signature ambiance created with a variety of his own hand-built effects pedals including reverbs, delays, and loopers—Rykman described “Arbitrary” as the Jekyll to “No Occasion”‘s Hyde, a dichotomy that serves to further extend a catalog that grows more eclectic with each release.
“It’s an intriguing time, and I’m excited to be able to create to my heart’s content right now, and just see what makes sense, and what I want to do, and what feels right,” Rykman said. “I’m excited to let ‘Arbitrary’ out in the world.”
Stream “Arbitrary”, the latest single from Karina Rykman, via the player below or on your preferred streaming platform.
Karina Rykman – “Arbitrary”
[Video: Karina Rykman]