Tessellate

Album: An Awesome Wave (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • According to Alt-J frontman Joe Newman, this minimal, ominous track was written about "the lingering of an old flame and the physical intimacy shared with that particular individual."
  • The song's music video is a modern take on Renaissance painter Raphael's School of Athens. Asked by NME why the clip features a rottweiller, keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton replied: "It was meant to be some sort of 'status dog' I think. You'll notice others in a scene are taking pop. It's an edgy video."
  • An Awesome Wave won the 2012 Mercury Prize, which is awarded to the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
  • Newman explained the lyric, "'Til morning comes, let's tessellate" to NME: "I wrote it when I was going out with my ex-girlfriend," he said. "I told her it was about spooning, but I've been telling everyone it's about sex! Now I don't know!"
    He added: "I started going out with someone else and the song's about getting over her while I was going out with my new girlfriend. The line 'Chunks of you will sink down to seals' is about her memory being ripped apart."
  • The line "Three guns and one goes off, one's empty, one's not quick enough," is a nod to the ending of the spaghetti western, The Good, the Bad and The Ugly.
  • This song's couplet, "Triangles are my favorite shape. Three points where two lines meet," was voted by readers of NME as their favorite lyric of 2012.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Francesca Battistelli

Francesca BattistelliSongwriter Interviews

The 2011 Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards isn't your typical gospel diva, and she thinks that's a good thing.