The coronavirus pandemic and quarantine has stirred up many emotions in people around the world – fear, sadness, hope, and inspiration. For Torii Wolf, the time spent in self-reflection resulted in a transcendent new single, with “Summon” deftly exploring the fine line between dreams and our waking life.
Both soothing and ominously haunting, “Summon” expertly traverses between the two worlds. Paired with a stunning music video that takes Wolf from watching TV in their home to suddenly watching themselves as they explore a dreamworld desertscape before entering a stained-glass house of worship, the single feels perfect for the long moment of unreality in which everyone has found themselves in recent months.
“I created this tune in solitude during my COVID-19 quarantine,” Wolf said. “I built my home studio to immortalize these feelings and sounds while sheltering in place. Once I was finished, I sent the track over to Rumori, the brilliant composer and cellist. By way of virtual collaboration, the song has become whole.”
The song and the video (the latter created with Wolf’s partner, Kayko Tamaki, founder of Memento Mori Productions) are Wolf’s first since releasing their debut album, Flow Riiot, with DJ Premier in 2017. In their nearly 15 years of making music, Wolf has built a reputation for creating intimate musical connections with their fans. The L.A.-based musician excels at creating words for feelings enjoys building spaces where listeners can go and feel.
The place they create in “Summon” is one of an internal battle with fear and the need to control our environment. By allowing fear to take hold, Wolf says, humans suffocate any possibility we may have to fulfill our destiny. Through this song, Wolf hopes to express how “we are being summoned here to have this human experience.”
“Summon” is Wolf’s first solo release and will lead up to the release of a stream of singles the artist has created during their shelter-in-place experience.
“It feels exciting,” said Wolf of putting the final touches on the new songs. “It’s as though I’m opening up a whole new portal from right here in my home.”
