What So Not and Herizen partner up for “We Can Be Friends”

Australia's Emoh Instead of What So Not releases an atmospheric meandering track in collaboration with rising artist Herizen—best known for her role in Netflix's The Get Down.

A pleading rhapsody with painstaking, heartfelt emotions, "We Can Be Friends" came about when the duo met at a writing camp in Nicaragua, with the vocals and production almost instantly fell into place. "On the first take, Herizen belted out the chorus over some chords I was playing. We caught a moment and ran with it,” said Emoh of the collaboration. “I’d been listening to a lot of Dilla, did some simple drum programming and played in textures and riffs on a Nord. As the song developed I retained that feel, keeping the production light & lush, centering the song around the beautiful & haunting vocal.”

Often found cultivating the ominous side of electronic music, the producer instead has opted for more subtle distortions in the synths, weeping in frequencies that croon alongside Herizen's chilling vocals. The lush, almost sensual sound the duo weaves is striking, stirring a pot of mixed emotions both bewildering and hopeful amidst the pounding future bass chords. As though blanketing us in a warm glow, both What So Not and Herizen weave a narrative of letting go that resonates with all of us. What So Not will be embarking on his Beautiful Things tour starting in February.

WHAT SO NOT upcoming tour dates:

Feb 2 – Brisbane City, AU @ Laneway Festival Brisbane
Feb 3 – Sydney, AU @ Laneway Festival Sydney
Feb 8 – Adelaide, AU @ Laneway Festival Adelaide
Feb 9 – Melbourne, AU @ Laneway Festival Melbourne
Feb 10 – Fremantle, AU @ Laneway Festival Fremantle
Feb 15-16 Somersby, New South Wales, AU @ Mountain Sounds Festival
Feb 23 – Mexico City, MEX @ EDC Mexico
April 27 – Fort Worth, TX @ Ubbi Dubbi Fest
May 10-11 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Beats Festival