“Human Shield” is a collaboration between experimental pop group WIEUCA of Athens, GA and Brooklyn rapper JAVAE. Alongside dub saxophones and buzzing synths, the track explores why it can be easier to put on a fake happy face rather than express yourself. Pairing intensely psychedelic sounds and visuals, “Human Shield” embodies a vivid crossover between rap and indie pop, which not enough people have pulled off up to this point.

Wieuca: At its core, Wieuca is a fusion act. Having dabbled in aesthetics ranging from garage punk to triphop to folk, the group has always managed to bridge stylistic variations with a continuity in confessional lyrics, homespun recordings, and psychedelic sensory-overload. With a colorful visual identity to match, Wieuca’s focus has remained pointing out the beauty in the hideous and vice versa since its 2012 inception in Athens, GA. “Human Shield” highlights this seamless, if unexpected, fusion of sounds by enlisting Brooklyn rapper JAVAE to bring the vibe into a new hemisphere. There’s no reason why indie bands and rappers shouldn’t combine forces, but at least for now, this cut stands out as one of the very few examples.

Wieuca has continued its genre-fusing experimentation into 2018 with the releases of the glitched out Local Celebrity EP that dropped in February, the psychedelic post-punk “Stress Box” in August, and now “6Ft Ceiling” which is the sonic equivalent of Juuling to death.

JAVAE: Living a nomadic lifestyle for the last couple years, JAVAE is an independent hip hop artist born in Opelika, Alabama and now residing in Brooklyn. While trying to crawl out of the rabbit hole of his own doubts, JAVAE pours his thoughts over an array of lo-fi, soulful beats. Raising awareness to the politically corrupt state of the world is something he finds important to speak on as a renegade in his community. Inspired by the legends of Southern hip hop, JAVAE’s style manages to be unapologetic yet remorseful, humble yet arrogant, and romantic yet selfish all in the pursuit of feeding the mind and finding inner peace.