Godford's 'I You She' Is Intimate Dance Music You Can Feel
Anonymous and enigmatic electronic artist Godford takes the plunge into new depths on his sophomore studio album, I You She. Following the success of their 2020 debut, Non-Binary Places, the French artist continues to follow their core value of pushing aside ego in modern artistry by remaining anonymous, allowing listeners to derive their own interpretations of his work based on the emotions evoked within each track.
The record opens with his first single of 2021, “California, Pt. I.” The producer transforms California from a physical location to a conceptual place of solace. The dewy synths and soft vocals envelop listeners in warmth with each added layer, while progressions in a minor key add a flare of nostalgia. This nostalgic energy intensifies as the line, “California, fornia, I’ll be back/My feeling for ya, for ya, it’s just so right,” continues on loop, making listeners recall and crave a moment long gone.
The following track, “The Beast,” embodies a quiet but brewing restlessness. Although the only clear lyrics are “run from the beast,” the oscillating, pulsing undercurrent stimulates a frantic, claustrophobic feeling that akin to the restlessness and isolation felt by many during last year’s lockdown. On the artist’s Bandcamp page, Godford shares, “When you’re locked up for too long, you start feeling a bit out of control and the beast that sleeping inside you wants to escape from this isolation and sometimes she blows up.”
Delving further into I You She, Godford shares, "When we produced this album, the world was not going well, we wanted to create an album, that gives you the feeling of being alive, free and allows you to meet your deepest emotions. We are not only trying to make people dance, but it's really important for us that they feel the music. Music is an international language and when we receive messages from all over the world, we feel that part of the job is done. We are not only thinking about ourselves when we are doing music, we are trying to share emotions and thoughts that others can feel, it's our way to say 'you are not alone.'"
"From the most complex emotion to the simplest; for example, we like watching people in clubs, some are raving, some others are at the bar, some don't care about the music, some feels the music, during the liveshow, we want people to feel the music, close your eyes and just feel. That's why we are in the shadows, it's not about us."
Some other songs of note include the textured, house-leaning single “The Hill” and the summery, sensually dualistic “Say My Name,” which explore clashing feelings of anger and attraction. Finally, the record returns to the West Coast on “California, Pt. II.” The previously looped verse blends with the familiar warm synths and looped riffs, sparking a sense of renewed hopefulness.
In I You She, Godford’s music transforms from quiet, enthralling dancefloor hymns that captivate audiences with their ephemeral rhythm before unfolding to more forlorn spaces. Both reactionary and empathetic, the record’s far-reaching lens loops together a scope of conflicting emotions that reflects the deeply personal circumstance of experiencing music at its most intimate core.
Listen to I You She:
