Alternative hip hop artist Wesley Black continues to build on the momentum he gained earlier this year when he released his debut EP 'Angel'.
The Perth-based musician has teamed with producer Daunt to craft 'Better With You', a track that finds Wesley leaning in hard to his vulnerable side as well as adding an indie rock flavour that sizzles."'Better With You' is about having unconditional love for someone, who you know doesn't need you in return," Wesley says.
"In this track, I finally allowed myself to become vulnerable in my music and my own sadness, teaming up with insanely talented producer Daunt who helped me create a prom night-inspired soundscape for me to pour my heart out."
Here, Wesley brings us inside his own creative processes listing the movies that have made him a better songwriter.
1: Eyes Wide Shut
I pretty much crafted my whole debut EP 'Angel' after watching this movie. Compelling, original and visually stunning, it's a movie that doesn’t give you all the answers at once, if at all.The characters all range drastically across a spectrum from vibrant to mysterious, with the colours and melodrama sticking out to me the most. This film really highlighted my insecurities and passions, and that's a huge part of 'Angel'.
2: Boogie Nights
Pretty much sums up my songwriting in one movie. Highs of gratuitous confidence, and lows of emotional dismay.Every character in this movie is awesome; I could see more layers of Wesley Black form after watching this. Also, it's just my favourite movie.
3: Oldboy
The less said, the better. I love telling stories and retaining perplexity, and this is a masterclass of that. Watch this in one sitting and don't blink. You'll be thinking about it for days; elements of it are bound to leak into your songwriting process.4: Requiem For A Dream
The stylistics of this film are what influenced me. The fast cuts, introspective visuals, over-the-top characters and storylines and chaotic dialogue; I like to think that's what a lot of my music sounds like.Sometimes the crazier the better, and this movie has no shortage of chaos. After watching this, my music took on another level of mayhem.
5: Fallen Angels
The most recent film in this list I've seen, and it probably shows in my latest single 'Better With You'. 'Fallen Angels' is a masterpiece. Poetry and emotion combined into one.Although a lot of my songs previously focused on stories and mystery, 'Fallen Angels' taught me not to forget vulnerability and humility.
Everyone has flaws, no one knows the best way to deal with everything, no one human can achieve everything. This film helped me work up the courage to be vulnerable in music again.
