Besso is a versatile electronic artist who was born in Paris, and raised in California. Whereas his last release “Space 2 Breathe” was a spacious, vibing dance tune laced with chilled-out keys (and compelling guitar lines), his most recent release takes on a different tone.
Besso first started making music at the age of 18, and now at 23, the artist has created quite a name for himself. His music has garnered attention from several hot Spotify playlists. Besso cites being inspired by everyone from Bowie to Daft Punk and Phoenix, and his broad listening tastes certainly come across in his production and style.
“Won’t Fade” is a house-type progressive song with emotional intensity to it. It begins with spacious, buzzing synths. Next up comes transitory, psychedelic squeal, pulsating hits…and finally, the beat drops. After the rhythm is solidified, “Won’t Fade” takes on a bouncy, Euro-nightclubbing-type feel.
At moments the song blends with techno, and other electronic flavors and genres. Besso has created a crisp yet dreamy soundscape that feels unassured, lost, and floating…
The horn-like synths make a statement, while the lyrics suggest he’s in denial. And as “Won’t Fade” progresses, the words become more poetic with its half-rhymes and descriptive language…
If you’ve ever tried to hold onto the frays of a relationship, then you’ll relate to “Won’t Fade”.
The song ends curtly, with a final pitched-down iteration- “I Won’t Fade” still leaving us wondering if the couple will see it through.
Q&A
How did the production process of “Won’t Fade” feel in comparison to your last release, “Space 2 Breathe”?
Funnily enough, both were actually some of the fastest processes I’ve had making music, with Space actually initially being part of a little video series I have on Instagram where I make a track in one session. The drop and bulk of “Won’t Fade” (arp, bass, drums, pads) also was something I made while FaceTiming a fellow producer as I thought I might have had something for his song… so that part took about 10 minutes which is craaazy fast for me, it usually takes me a while to get ideas down. Thankfully he rejected the idea and now we have “Won’t Fade!”
On a lyrical level, “Space 2 Breathe” and “Won’t Fade” are about the same person but “Won’t Fade” encapsulates what’s looking to be the tail end of that emotional roller coaster.
Do you have any ties or memories of the music of Paris?
One of my favourite music memories took place the night France made it to the World Cup final in 2006. I fondly remember driving around the Champs-Élysées roundabout with my family blasting and singing along to “Zidane y va marquer.” That was a lot of fun.
I heard that you taught yourself how to record and master, partially from online blogs. Which sites are your favorite to reference?
Well I don’t actually master my music. One of my producer friends explained to me that if you have someone else master your song, you know you can never tweak it again (which you might do until the end of time). I thought that was genius.
However, I learned how to record and produce my music through various YouTube channels and sites for the most part, everything from sound design on Serum and analog synths, to EQing and compression and all of that stuff. I still don’t think I really know what I’m doing fully, but that’s part of it!
What inspired your artwork for this one, with the neon green inner tube and your suitcase in hand?
It was a spur-of-the-moment idea but I thought I should be waiting for a bus to somewhere unknown. The bus never came though, still waiting.
If you had to choose one favorite music production trick you used on “Won’t Fade” share with us, what would it be?
I would say in this case, since it’s such a simple song with only 10 or so elements at a given time, the key to keep this song interesting and moving forward was to automate a ton of different elements in the mix, no matter how subtle.
At the end of “Won’t Fade”, has the main character accepted that it’s over? Is there still hope for these two, or is this song about someone in denial?
Ah, I wish there was hope! But no, unfortunately it looks like they did end up fading, so it looks like this song has aged pretty poorly despite its infancy haha!
About Besso
Nico Besso, a Paris-born, Southern California-raised rising artist, producer, vocalist and DJ, announces the release of his latest single, “Won’t Fade.” Known for blending introspective themes with dance floor-ready grooves, Besso takes listeners on a sonic journey that captures the complexities of holding onto a relationship slipping away.
At just 23 years old, Besso has already carved a unique niche in the music world. Born to Canadian parents in Paris, his early life was steeped in storytelling through comic books and short stories. His musical journey began with the legendary CD mixtapes from his mother, featuring artists like Phoenix, David Bowie, and Daft Punk, which filled his childhood apartment with a constant stream of diverse sounds. Besso’s self-directed approach to music production began at 18, relying on his keen ear and a deep dive into blogs and articles to master songwriting and composition.
After the success of his previous release “Space 2 Breathe,” which received support from Spotify’s editorial playlists like “Fresh Finds Dance” and “Feel Good,” Besso is back with “Won’t Fade.” This new single presents a slightly different twist on his sound, embracing a progressive dance house vibe. The track opens with an epic intro, building into a groovy tech house rhythm, where Besso describes it as “if Rüfüs Du Sol had a fast house baby”, complete with pulsating synths and beats.
Besso’s captivating vocals and pop-woven melodies take centre stage, finding unique melodic pockets that add intrigue to the evolving track. The vocal effects shift throughout, set against more of a UKG backdrop in parts, merging genres like house, techno, and UKG into a cohesive, dynamic sound.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085832055449
https://www.instagram.com/besso.mp3/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3aCuS8b1HzTgrJGTzddyOJ