Striking, Stirring, Stunning
The opening moments of “Silver Thread Golden Needle” are quiet, desolate and maybe even a little somber. After all, this is the first we hear from A.G. Cook following the announcement that his ground-breaking record label P.C. Music will no longer be putting out new work. A singular stab interrupts the quiet hum, echoing out into the airy soundscape.
With a sudden explosion of spattering sound, “Silver Thread Golden Needle” takes on new life, buzzing with the energy boiling beneath its deceitfully peaceful surface. Over the song’s impressive 10-minute runtime, Cook takes listeners on a journey through bubbling synth loops and babbling vocals that teeter between human and artificial. The entire ride is fluid, dazzling and wholly entrancing, showcasing A.G. Cook at his best after a decade of manning P.C. Music. Finally, the song erupts with booming metallic clangs that give way once more to a quiet hum.
The End of the Beginning
There aren’t many times when one can point at an artist in the industry and recognize them as a truly historical, revolutionizing figure. Nonetheless, this is one of those times. Cook has produced for and with bold artists like Caroline Polachek, Charli XCX and the late SOPHIE. Most of all, the founding of P.C. Music in 2013 paved the way for artists to experiment without abandon. His label opened the floodgates for the bedroom producers and lovable misfits to put their names out into the world.
Fast forward 10 years later and the impact of P.C. Music is clear to see. The single keeps the memory of P.C. Music alive with all of the unconventional conventions that gave the label and its artists a feel like no other. The twinkling highs of Hannah Diamond’s Reflections, brain-tickling soundbites of GFOTY’s GFOTYBUCKS, and euphoric energy of umru’s comfort noise all pulse through the veins of “Single Thread Golden Needle.”
“Silver Thread Golden Needle” is utlimately more than just a single—it represents the beginning of a new era for the father of hyperpop. An era where P.C. Music acts as a “was” instead of an “is.” Now swathed in the unyielding amber of legacy, P.C. Music has taken its last breaths—giving Cook the space to breathe new life into the future of sound.
“Silver Thread Golden Needle” is just the start.
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