Song ID help - chorus is an overlay of two ~monotone, speaking voices

August 3, 2018 2:44 PM

Although I don't remember any of the lyrics, the song had a very strange style, where the 'chorus' was two male voices speaking monotonously over each other -- like two news channels talking over each other at the same time. I heard this song over the weekend - I'm pretty sure the song title had "murder" or "murdering" in it, not entirely sure of that though. Additionally, in general - I find songs with somewhat chaotically overlaid separate music/lyric tracks really relaxing. So if you know of any other examples -- where it sounds like two radio stations or news stations playing at the same time overlapping a bit chaotically, general recommendations where part or all of the song is composed in this style (+ youtube links) are also very appreciated. Thanks in advance! :D

Anything on this spectrum --

A less chaotic example = Simon & Garfunkel's Silent night/7 o'clock news

Mid range = this whole album by Neil Cicierega

A more chaotic example = The song I can't ID - but hopefully someone will post a link to it here soon. :)

posted by ch3cooh to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

Best answer: Peace and Love by Camper Van Beethoven, perhaps.
posted by misteraitch at 2:57 PM on August 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: It's The Murder Mystery by the Velvet Underground.
posted by Rinku at 2:59 PM on August 3, 2018 [7 favorites]

I bet you'd also like the Belle and Sebastian song I Could be Dreaming, where a passage from Rip Van Winkle is somewhat incomprehensibly read aloud over the outro; I find it very relaxing in the way I think you mean.
posted by Rinku at 3:03 PM on August 3, 2018

Spiritual High (Part 3) from Mood Swings pairs State of Independence backing track with MLK's I Have A Dream. Comes in about 1:20.
posted by rekrap at 4:17 PM on August 3, 2018

You might like Love Like Anthrax by Gang Of Four
posted by smartyboots at 4:25 PM on August 3, 2018 [2 favorites]

You would like Talking Heads', Seen and Not Seen. It is just one voice not two, but exactly the same sort of hypnotic thing... monotone strange lyric murmured into a funky afro-tribal beat.
posted by Meatbomb at 5:09 PM on August 3, 2018

Also check out News by Kraftwerk, off their wholly great Radio-Activity album.
posted by Krawczak at 6:58 PM on August 3, 2018

You might want to check into Negativland.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:22 PM on August 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Revolution 9 by The Beatles
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:23 PM on August 3, 2018

Tindersticks' Marbles has a wonderful moment like that which is especially delightful with headphones.
posted by Candleman at 8:57 PM on August 3, 2018

ooh just remembered another favourite! Flower Punk by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, near the end there is a really nifty bit with two alternate soliloquys talking over one another.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:51 AM on August 4, 2018

The music from Philip Glass's Einstein on the Beach has this effect, particularly in the "knee play" parts:

Knee Play 1
Knee Play 2
Knee Play 3
Knee Play 5
posted by rollick at 2:36 AM on August 20, 2018