Baltimore-born, New York-based singer, songwriter, and producer serpentwithfeet marked his signing to One Little Independent Records with his new single “Sentinel,” the title track from his new EP out Dec. 4.
According to the press release, the track is inspired by histories of male companionship and the bonds that emerge in enclosed, male-dominated spaces.
“I was thinking about homoeroticism and the ways that men socialise when they’re isolated,” the singer explained in the release. “Then I started thinking about patriarchy. One of the ways it’s sustained is because men instinctively know their role. Whether you’re the alpha or the beta, whatever those words mean, you know where you fit on the rung.
“Another grown man is willing to genuflect, to yield responsibility or become a little less autonomous because somebody else carries more power or privilege. For me, that feels like religion. It made me wonder what happens when we experience that erotically. What happens when we willingly let someone hold our heart because of the way they move through the world?”
serpentwithfeet is the first artist featured by FERN, a new nature-based music performance platform. The video for “Sentinel” was filmed in the woods of the Pacific Northwest in Canada. More intimate performance than the usual music video, FERN relies on visuals shaped by movement, natural acoustics and place.
“I wanted it to feel wild, when you’re completely consumed by love, it can feel like a calling, as though you’re spellbound. The lyrics are beautiful, but they’re also a little unsettling. Working with movement and choreography, I wanted that character to feel passionate, but also feral,” the singer stated.
Jonathan Josiah Wise was raised in the church while growing up in Baltimore and has thus drawn on gospel as his musical philosophy. Under the moniker of serpentwithfeet, his mix of that with R&B and dance genres has been felt across three EPs and three full-length releases including his most recent album Grip from 2024. Throughout his career, he was collabed with the likes of
Watch the FERN performance of “Sentinel” below:
–Rich Lopez