Get ready for take off, because “Galaxy” by Takkin will absolutely take you out of this world.
The NYC-based singer and songwriter born Tobias Wong creates cinematic soundscapes with haunting vocals grounded in pulsating, electronic beats. His musical genesis began in the pews of international churches, where American folk music, English hymns, and Mandarin ballads collide. Growing up in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, South Korea, Michigan and now Astoria, Queens, Takkin wrestles with the feelings of loneliness in liminal space and finding home.
The song starts off with soft vocals and great lyrics, and builds with the instrumental slowly to the chorus. The chorus is quite possibly my favorite part of the song, as the lyrics are so catchy and fun to sing along to, and the instrumental compliments it perfectly. The second verse builds up a little differently, and then right before the chorus, the instrumental switches up completely. It feels like we’re floating through hyper space just vibing to the universe.
There’s a guitar solo that’s killer right after the chorus, and then a bridge that really hooks you in. The song ends with Takkin singing the chorus with a vocoder, adding a beautiful final layer to the song that makes me wanting to come back for more. The first time I heard this song, I was absolutely shook and immediately became obsessed. This track is a must listen.
I had the privilege to ask Takkin some questions about the track, check it out below!
What inspired you to make this song?
I wanted to play around with mythical and sci-fi elements in my songwriting. It was a personal creative challenge that ended up generating a lot of fun ideas. The idea of an obsessive AI lover started brewing as a cool concept. Synthetic, robotic sounds lead me to think about Hal9000 from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. “Galaxy” was then written as a dialogue between an AI and its object of affection.
What was your favorite part about making this song?
My favorite part about making the song was hearing the track after all my vocal parts had been recorded and laid in place. Suddenly the world of the song revealed itself and what started as a cool concept was fully realized, living and breathing.
What was the hardest part making this song?
The hardest part was releasing it. I always feel like there’s room for improvement or something can be tweaked but you gotta just say, “fuck it, who cares” and do it.
Was this release cathartic for you?
Yes, it totally was! It was a way for me to reintroduce myself, a refresh, a restart. The songs I had previously released were all written within the same time period. This song is part of a new batch of experimentation I can’t wait to show everyone.
What keeps you motivated?
Music making feels like a mad science. You hide away in a cave for a bit and come out later from the hangar bay with a new thing you’ve concocted. My motivation is seeing and experiencing the responses from people when they engage with my music. That connection is a happy drug and it affirms that what I’m doing is a good thing.
What can we expect next from you?
More dope songs- an EP!
What other artists are you listening to right now?
Mostly James Blake and, if I’m doing a workout, a lot of 90’s hip-hop. Folk artist Joy Oladokun’s new album “in defense of my own happiness” is beautiful.
Thank you for taking the time to answer those questions for us!
Be sure to stream “Galaxy” by Takkin on all platforms now, and follow him on social media below!
Written By: Bryce Quartz