Alas, Lil’ Kim’s new single “#Mine” — her first solo track since 2009 — arrived a day too late for her BFF Marc Jacobs to use it in last night’s show at the Park Avenue Armory (instead, he opted for an eerie chime inspired by Japanese musician Keiji Haino’s avant-garde oeuvre). While you’re bumping the Queen Bee’s newest banger, press play on five of our other favorite runway-ready tracks that scored some of NYFW’s most memorable shows this week.
Yeezy Season 3: Without a doubt, the most major musical moment at NYFW was the premiere of Kanye West’s highly anticipated seventh studio album The Life of Pablo. Hooking his personal laptop up to Madison Square Garden’s legendary sound system, West began the 90-minute show with the LP’s opening gospel track “Ultra Light Beam.” Though his models — in keeping with collaborator Vanessa Beecroft’s performance practices — remained largely stationary throughout the duration of his presentation, we’d have loved to see surprise guest Naomi Campbell strut to the likes of “Fade.” TLOP‘s closing track derives its infectious bounce from the likes of Mr. Fingers’ funky 80s house cut “Mystery of Love.” Here’s hoping it’ll make an appearance on another runway this season!
Alexander Wang: Having assembled a crack #WANGSQUAD for his spring/summer 16 campaign — a crew that includes Travis Scott, CL, Vic Mensa, Alice Glass, Aluna Francis, and Makonnen — Alexander Wang had a pretty choice pick for his fall/winter 16 show sounds. The former Crystal Castles frontwoman walked in the show, so Wang left musical duties to another squad member, Baauer, who did not disappoint. The Brooklyn-based producer took the opportunity to debut “Temple,” a poppin’ new number lifted from his forthcoming album, Aa, that features contributions from M.I.A. and G-Dragon. He also gifted i-D with his atmospheric pre-show mix, yours to enjoy long after fashion week ends.
Hood by Air: Although Shayne Oliver is a force behind the decks in his own right (as anyone who frequented GHE20 G0TH1K’s apocalyptic warehouse raves will remember), he often enlists Ashland Mines, the artist and DJ better known as Total Freedom, to create Hood by Air’s chilling soundscapes. Fall/winter 16’s “Pilgrim” show saw the Fade to Mind-affiliated beatsmith revamp Beyoncé’s surprise single “Formation” to dastardly operatic effects. Ashland’s edit hasn’t surfaced online yet, so for now, enjoy the HBA finale track, Madonna’s 1989 tribute “Oh Father.” Fun fact: this isn’t the first time the Queen of Pop has made an appearance in Total Freedom’s HBA work. He opened fall/winter 14’s “10,000 Screaming Faggots” show with a sample of Madge soundchecking the opening lines of “Skin,” a heady Ray of Light rip.
Eckhaus Latta: Eckhaus Latta’s Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta have often foregone runway recordings in favor of live performances. Dev Hynes and collaborator Samantha Urbani performed an original track during the duo’s fall/winter 15 show at ArtSpace (models kept its tempo by smashing hammers through drywall). This season, Richard Fellyd provided an original live mix — a pulsating ambient beat that propelled models’ emphatic stomps through a spiral of seats. We also heard him spinning the cocktail hour that followed the show, a mix that included another ambient favorite courtesy of Aphex Twin. The instantly recognizable thumps of the elusive producer’s “Pulsewidth” — a track off his much loved compilation Selected Ambient Works 85-92 — boomed throughout MoMA PS1’s geodesic dome. You might remember it soundtracking Raf Simons’ first Dior Haute Couture collection, too.
Jeremy Scott: What would a musical runway roundup be without Michel Gaubert? Fashion’s preeminent sound designer hopped back in the booth to create the soundtrack for longtime collaborator Jeremy Scott’s fall/winter 16 show. There’s pretty much nothing better than watching a bouffanted Karlie Kloss slay Scott’s opening look to Blondie’s punched up cover of The Nerves’ “Hangin on the Telephone.” Gaubert expertly included Lydia Lunch’s pulsing “Atomic Bongos,” too. The snarly 1980 single proved a perfect sonic match for Scott’s cartoon collaboration this season, Ren & Stimpy. Though the show’s theme song was recorded by a group of Spümcø employees under the name “Die Screaming Leiderhôsens,” its elements very much parallel Lunch’s work.
Credits
Text Emily Manning
Photography Jason Lloyd-Evans