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Music

Watch Avantgarde Composer Jozef Van Wissem's Somber New Video for "You Can't Take It With You"

Meet the Dutch composer who's making classical a threat again.

To call avantgarde Dutch composer Jozef Van Wissem's resume "formidable" is a a whale of an understatement. He's been hailed by the New York Times, Vogue, and countless others for the way he draws from 17th century compositional practices to combine the classical with the contemporary—no small feat for a self-described "lute player with a punk rock attitude."

Jozef is currently preparing to release his newest album, It's Time for You To Return, which will serve as the follow-up to to 2013's Only Lovers Left Alive, his award-winning soundtrack for American independent film veteran Jim Jarmusch's film of the same name. This record is the composer's first to feature his own voice as well as electronic experimentation, and as with so many great works of art, was a collaborative—and international—effort. Echoing his past collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton and Keiji Haino, this album sees Jozef enlist the talents of Chilean filmmaker Domingo Garcia-Huidobro to handle electronic programming on several tracks, while Jim Jarmusch and Lebanese singer Yasmine Hamdan contribute vocals.

Simply put, "You Can't Take It With You" is a beautiful song. As he plucks gently at his custom-built black Baroque lute, fingers tripping lightly over its gossamer strings, the sound blends smoothly with Van Wissem’s careful, lightly accented enunciation to achieve a somber, meditative effect. The video itself is stark and minimal, ensuring that the viewer's focus will remain on Jozef's weathered visage and nimble fingers.

We've got the video premiere for "You Can't Take It With You" right here. It's Time for You To Return is out 12/2 on Crammed Discs,