← more from
S P I N S T E R
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Urban Driftwood (ft. Amadou Kouyate)

from Urban Driftwood by Yasmin Williams

supported by
Peter R. Gerbert, Wildlife Artist
Peter R. Gerbert, Wildlife Artist thumbnail
djdeejai
djdeejai thumbnail
goranji
goranji thumbnail
Jennifer Faison
Jennifer Faison thumbnail
lreilly95
lreilly95 thumbnail
slonslonslon
slonslonslon thumbnail
marcq_
marcq_ thumbnail
jazzzbuster5
jazzzbuster5 thumbnail
Chris Kissel
Chris Kissel thumbnail
Sunshrine
Sunshrine thumbnail
Allen Mullen
Allen Mullen thumbnail
Joyah Sol Lūmen
Joyah Sol Lūmen thumbnail
andyy64
andyy64 thumbnail
Rebel Up SebCat
Rebel Up SebCat thumbnail
neildargie
neildargie thumbnail
Charles Hodgkins
Charles Hodgkins thumbnail
sjoerdvissers
sjoerdvissers thumbnail
ruzxs
ruzxs thumbnail
Janko Novoselic
Janko Novoselic thumbnail
murmullo
murmullo thumbnail
scot robinson
scot robinson thumbnail
Frank Schmidtsdorff
Frank Schmidtsdorff thumbnail
Dale Berns
Dale Berns thumbnail
meg4x4
meg4x4 thumbnail
diskoteket1952
diskoteket1952 thumbnail
pedagogy19
pedagogy19 thumbnail
jrgiven
jrgiven thumbnail
targus8
targus8 thumbnail
progers926
progers926 thumbnail
kmc22
kmc22 thumbnail
jbizot3
jbizot3 thumbnail
Eric Scipio
Eric Scipio thumbnail
logoff23
logoff23 thumbnail
gregflynn8240
gregflynn8240 thumbnail
kemeticjust
kemeticjust thumbnail
ndivibes
ndivibes thumbnail
darklightmatter
darklightmatter thumbnail
/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $1 USD  or more

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Only 100 printed in seaglass!

    First & second pressings are sold out, third pressing now shipping via SPINSTER.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Urban Driftwood via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    edition of 2500  217 remaining
    Purchasable with gift card

      $20 USD or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Packaged in a 6 Panel Wallet with Spine. Replicated from glass master. Third edition.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Urban Driftwood via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $13 USD or more 

     

about

In terms of instrumentation, the foundation of “Urban Driftwood” is the kora (the first instrument you hear in the track). I began trying to teach myself how to play the kora in the summer of 2019 and the kora ostinato you hear in the first few seconds of the track is one of the first things I came up with on the kora. After coming up with that small phrase, I realized I wanted the piece to include kora throughout as well as guitar and hand drums of some sort (which eventually became the djembe and cadjembe). I created the guitar part to add harmonies to the kora part. I play the guitar in a lap-tapping style; this is only because the part I play requires it (it’s not playable, for me at least, using the traditional guitar playing method). The lap-tapping technique is only in service to the music itself. I created a simple framework for the drums and the drummer, Amadou Kouyate (150th generation djeli of the Kouyate family), came to the studio session and improvised around the framework I created. I added the kalimba parts last as a sort of melodic glue to the piece. All of the parts (except for the drum solo in the middle of the song) are relatively simple and quite repetitive. This is to evoke the meditative state I was in when I first created the kora ostinato that repeats (in various forms) throughout the song.

Early on, I also realized that the song gave me a feeling of being in nature and, more specifically, by water. The piece has lots of repetitive pieces that create the overall sonic landscape. These repetitions gave me the idea of reflections, both in the literal and figurative sense. Literal meaning being near water or looking into water and seeing your reflection and figuratively meaning self-reflection or self discovery. After coming up with the guitar parts and a framework for the drums, I knew that this song would be more personal to me. I am a guitarist who fits into the more modern solo fingerstyle acoustic guitar genre. There are not many Black guitarists within this genre and, particularly with all of the political and social discord that was/is happening in the United States in 2020, I felt it was extremely important to include a song on the album that was inspired by my heritage and paid homage to who I am, the household I grew up in, the music I listened to as a child, etc. “Urban Driftwood” is more like the music I grew up listening to than any other song I’ve released so far.

credits

from Urban Driftwood, released January 29, 2021

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Yasmin Williams image

Yasmin Williams Woodbridge, Virginia

Acoustic fingerstyle/ lap tapping guitarist from northern Virginia who combines modern, percussive fingerstyle techniques with a laid back compositional style.

shows

contact / help

Contact Yasmin Williams

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like Yasmin Williams, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.
listen now