In an attempt to find more recent covers worthy of posting, I came across Solange Knowles’ cover of The Dirty Projectors’ “Stillness is the Move.” The song is fairly recent (off of DP’s 2009 album, Bitte Orca) so I have to say it’s refreshing to step away from some classics for a second!
The original version of “Stillness is the Move” consists mostly of a stripped-down drum beat and a sprinkled, clean electric guitar melody. The voices of vocalists Amber Coffman, Haley Dekle and Angel Deradoorian give off a very R&B vibe. There isn’t much variation when it comes to the music besides the bridge, except for the bridge and then immediately after when strings float in near the end to to build the song up to a strong finish. Though “Stillness is the Move” is a simple track musically, the song definitely showcases the vocal talents of COffman, Dekle and Deradoorian.
Solange Knowles’ version of “Stillness is the Move” gets off to a great start immediately when a sample from Dr. Dre’s “Xxplosive” is heard and Solange’s airy vocals compete with those of TDP’s. Though the songs are about the same tempo, Solange’s silky voice and the hip-hop beat give the song a much more R&B/Slow Jam vibe. Once again, the music is kept simple while the vocals are in the spotlight and with pipes like hers, Solange does the song justice.