Baths: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Baths, a.k.a. Will Wiesenfeld, plays mysterious and textured electronic music. When Wiesenfeld came to the Tiny Desk, I expected contemplative tones and a laid-back performance; he does, after all, call his project Baths. But what sets him apart from the vast majority of like-minded performers is that his music doesn't get buried behind the buttons or lost in a hypnotic glaze.
Wiesenfeld is an extrovert live, and at the Tiny Desk, he sounds vibrant and compelling as he performs songs from this year's Obsidian. His partner Morgan Greenwood, an accomplished music-maker in his own right, keeps the music dense but frees up Wiesenfeld to sing with few distractions; there's a mind-meld between the two that's undeniable. They're not accustomed to playing in the light of day, but they enchant in this perfect introduction to their work. --BOB BOILEN
Set List
"Miasma Sky"
"Phaedra"
"Ocean Death"
Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Denise DeBelius; Editor: Parker Miles Blohm; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Parker Miles Blohm, Denise DeBelius, Gabriella Garcia-Pardo, Erica Yoon

[@Reaper1253]

Near 8 years later and this is still an amazing set.

[@HoyaDon]

I come back on the regular to listen to it. So good!

[@Keodron]

Useful timestamps 00:00 - Miasma Sky 3:58 - Cool Improvisation (?) 8:07 - Phaedra 13:20 - Ocean Death

[@erice1717]

I just wanna say (as an audio engineer) that whoever is doing the audio work on this is awesome and deserves a cookie.

[@aklink12a]

Eric E I'm not exclusively an audio engineer.. I have miscellaneous studio background and still and video photography. I agree- I keep my eyes and ears on the end-to-end infrastructure and the levels. It's nice when all that comes together. I have seen him perform several times in L.A. GREAT performer and love his content.

[@erice1717]

Alan Klink Well, great work!

[@Burley_Bert]

+Alan Klink Seriously i'm so late, but extra cookies here.

[@swaggyishowiam]

hell yeah!

[@k1001001]

I felt like the vocals could use some more punch but that's my only complaint with the audio. Great job!

[@TobinFell]

I'm impressed these guys can reproduce these sounds live! I assumed his voice was all chopped up and mixed up on the recordings, but he actually can sing like this! haha And I LOVE that keyboard. Wish I could afford a korg sv-1

[@ryanclark8985]

45 seconds in and I'm sold. Give me all the bath

[@riidderberg]

Same feeling!

[@olivedotcomm]

bathe you in it????

[@michaeldigiovanni6702]

Litterally my favorite set from Baths on KZbin. This set has improvisational and amazingly creative elements. I've enjoyed his music for years and in my opinion he is unfairly overlooked like many artists. Obsidian is a beautiful album just like Cerulean.

[@Goreny.]

I angrily sit here, listening to this. I've heard almost all of Baths music, yet have never had the delicacy to see them live in person. Also- I've even explored Will Wisenfields other projects - Geotic and [ Post-Foetus ] yet I haven't, once again, had a single chance to listen to them live. If I had one wish to see any music artist, it would be Baths. His music makes me smile all the time. UGH, I LOVE YOUUUU

[@ciarankirk2461]

I consider these to be the best versions of each song

[@livvy94]

Me too! I love them so much

[@gavdrans]

Good heavens, that improv session between Miasma Sky and Phaedra…I could listen to that all day

[@seankamekona6206]

Amazing baths

[@LeslieLennox]

He sounds great live! I think his tone is spot on given the style. People just can't appreciate that it's different which is why they're labeling it as "bad".

[@TheOtherSun]

nah hes pretty bad

[@sashaguy3722]

TheOtherSun ok but do you have any arguments why he's bad and it's normal that you don't like him. after a quick look of the music that you produce you don't have the same music style as baths. And if you find that the music is bad, tell me the definition of good music

[@zhurein]

Ive just been getting goosebumps hearing this through headphones for the first time.

[@moosicphreak]

Just as amazing live! I've had Obsidian on constant repeat.

[@nikolauswilliams3124]

when I first started listening to baths I fell in love with voice. It's that love he gives to his tenor pitch, its so unique to me. as a composer and producer tho he is also quite different in an amazing way

[@WillEvatt]

Astonishing performance of 'Miasma Sky', song of the year IMO. Those lyrics...

[@chrisreed3022]

Three times back to back in an hour. Work interrupted and enhanced. Says it all. Long live NPR Tiny Desk sets. I am a brit and lived in the USA for three years. NPR kept me sane.

[@JodieTarot]

Totally underrated!!! Was fortunate to meet Will last year!!! Such a humble guy, was a complete honour x

[@feralgecko9727]

I love Baths. Started listening back in late 2014 and I still love him.

[@jakobervorhood]

I am lying in bed listening and watching in total awe.

[@jarryj1995]

His singing is very soothing and intimate over this Sonic Backdrop; so I say his voice is very fitting and expressive.

[@nmadrid12]

He is a very nice guy and his success is well-deserved. Keep it going Will!

[@Squidward_Tikiland]

i love it. he took what he had in himself, all his abilities and his nature, and made somthing beautiful. well they did actually. but i dont think homeboy always plays with him.

[@AdamLangille]

such an inspiring experience to watch this guy do stuff

[@nickolevaz]

thank u Will

[@leok.7037]

MY BAB. And to the guy dissing Obsidian / who said Cerulean was his best work, I disagree. Ocean Death was fucking lit.

[@Ummarth9]

I think both sit equal, but Cerulean is slightly happier? Which people gravitate toward; I know both aren't purely happy albums but Obsidian is like a dense meal and Cerulean a light one. I listen to both more than anything else from Baths, but they suit my sort of down moods more than most anything else.

[@MadSwagles]

wil is such an awesome guy.

[@ohrenji]

YES BATHS. NPR, I love you even more now.

[@michaelfalcone3713]

cutting edge work will and the dude on the elektron sp needs to show me how he does it. I need lessons.

[@TheCorndog]

The BEST tiny desk concert! Just wish it was longer or had more of his cerulean album.

[@georginamiller7537]

Exactly. ...(baths npr musical set is) brilliant way to express / relate the pain of feeling/percieving..... wondering if the baths dudes are "related" to me????....in that we're related to people we don't relate to. Makes the term relative seem relative.

[@royshantzis3321]

Georgina Miller I've been sitting here in my dimly lit room, re reading what you wrote to try and decipher if you're a lyrical genius or not. You either are grasping at some profound thoughts or have no footing in the english language. Either way I'm confused.

[@EricMazariegos]

Roy Shantzis this comment is exactly what I was thinking and you so eloquently typed it out. I'm laughing ass off..

[@danielpooser]

@@royshantzis3321 lol

[@georginamiller7537]

Brilliant. ....this makes so much more sense than any "mainstream" music I've ever heard! €€!!!!

[@luismireles6375]

Really glad they played Phaedra.

[@pcapusso]

i want to see my little boy

[@Jaffa6290]

Here he comes

[@toni-symone5905]

i want to see my little boy

[@myinnocentdevil]

wow that was such a clean performance

[@FilipeBorgesVet87]

Ocean Death at the end is A W E S O M E! the last 30 seconds is pure eye closed contemplation. Blessed Will.

[@bluesilkdesigns]

This is TOO good. Is this illegal? I'm addicted to this video.

[@krisgarcia_]

Woow they sound really great like in studio!

[@guavagum7235]

Reminds of a chill ass miike snow 😍😍😍😍 love love love

[@bluesilkdesigns]

13:21 saving it cuz it's my fave performance of "Ocean Death" wow

[@bw2002]

Baths will always be one of my favorite bands. I personally love his love. The new Ocean Death EP is wondefrul, as well.

[@cagedweller6223]

Wow. They sound phenomenal, and to open w Miasma Sky sets the tone - such dope writing

[@parmidaaf3829]

I'm hypnotized by these guy's talent :\

[@omerkrieger5106]

Absolutely my favorite indie duet.

[@zachpaulus8172]

I could listen to 3:58 - 7:52 on repeat for eternity.

[@kevinbanks2053]

Zach Paulus I know!! My same thinking. The music of my inner heart

[@arthurcoppens_]

what track is it tho, I don't know it yet..

[@snuffy420]

i dont think its a track on his own, he usually just plays it live as an add on to miasma sky

[@arthurcoppens_]

so cool

[@boostedbrick62]

Check out his ambient side project, Geotic

[@everlot1000]

Absolute perfection

[@Thetoebeeone]

i pretty much had obsidian on repeat all year (and some of last year too) by far my fav music maker, you have a place to stay if you ever visit brighton mr Bath man! i think you rule!

[@MoreThan_Bob1776]

Omg im so glad to have seen this after all these years ive listened to Baths just for them to open up with the first song i ever heard from them coming home from the conan o'Brien show on a the radio from a college channel called"KSPC" I believe but JESUS brings tears to my eyes reminiscing about how fun that year was for me being 21

[@LifebyDesign]

MY FAVORITE ARTIST OMG FINALLY!!! I LISTEN TO BATHS EVERY SINGLE DAYYYYYYY THANK U NPR

[@rowenaacross]

They are like mad scientists in a lab. So good!

[@lostinjks]

Lovin' that last song

[@fokal.strktr]

WHAT A PERFORMANCE

[@IbanezBassist]

He adds a lot to the songs. I didn't expect that kind of performance for Miasma Sky it was pretty different from when I saw him live. My only gripe is the guitar player. I think he should EQ his tone to something that compliments the style a little more but, with the possibility of a constrained set-up I understand. Some added low-end, less twang and, I personally wouldn't used a chorus/echo, delay, reverb, and compression.

[@geoffmobile]

Brilliant music. Inspirational.

[@AlmaSilvamiaw]

Mesmerisingly wonderful.

[@Danny_MacAskill]

Incredible work guys!

[@ryaneads7736]

What a crossover, baths meets biker boy.

[@sophiam.1549]

i want to see my little boy... here he comes

[@201Perone239]

That was an experience. Awesome fucking music.

[@sacha.terrat.official]

Oooooh Björk's Biophilia on the shelf... A man of good taste as expected !

[@D3adRomanc3]

This is fantastically fabulously amazing

[@SyemurN]

Oh my god! Thank you for bringing tasty music into my life! I understood 'Glitch' as a music genre now and it's beautiful!

[@pinupz60]

Beautiful

[@milqui13]

Whoa! What a brilliant artist, I want mooore!

[@archangel4597]

beautiful.

[@javiertrevino5535]

I love this band

[@travisfin]

Great stuff. I can't get Miasma Sky out of my head.

[@indieglowflowerchild]

Brilliant and majestic.

[@elsergeone]

These guys are insanely good!

[@danielhamilton5437]

Interesting and provocative. It's very hypno-like.

[@Ethicsmusic]

This guy is one of the main influences of Ethics no doubt. Love you Baths

[@nanakanisucre]

absolutely brilliant

[@GreenBlueClouds]

I am loving the post-rock wall of sound in ocean death, I really do wonder when an official release will come out.

[@bonChic20]

Bravo! Ocean death makes the hair at the back of my head bristle.

[@dntbesuchanancy]

wow, yes.

[@salad1000]

i want to see my little boy here he comes

[@famousdave134]

hopefully soon. i need it!

[@ZanderMillerLife]

Brilliant

[@bdwatson814]

I think I'm too old to love this...but I do

[@helenaap2042]

Nah you are never too old to enjoy baths

[@crispy_toasty]

Music is vibrations after all your not too old your just human 👍

[@Skigitydoo]

I'm seeing him tonight:) His singing reminds me a little of Sunny Day Real Estate and I love it!

[@tayloredwards9979]

Reminds me of old Passion- Pit!

[@alancornelius1ghf]

Excellent.

[@graceharris2485]

FAVORITE

[@RadamesOrtiz]

i am in love with ocean death and named my plant Phaedra.

[@itsmechriswong]

If one day he does another Boiler Room or does a show here in nyc I'd love to go to one, there's something soulful about this music. Maybe not in the sense like FlyLo, but this is much quieter, more poignant, and more delicate.

[@RuthwikRao]

Will still has a long way before he catches up with flylo. But either way, he's amazing.

[@FatMissyCat]

Beautiful work :)

[@MattThompsons]

This is just what my afternoon needed!

[@maribia96]

oh my god this is amazing :O Simon and Martina have introduced me to something beautiful

[@Jamesbond-kq8wq]

same!

[@nestoreuan2899]

Same!

[@ohyeahapples]

I love this

[@ace71730]

This is my favorite Tiny Desk Concert so far... I'm 10 seconds into the video.

[@davideferrari9015]

very good performance ... unfortunately I didn't go the Milan gig last month. A shame

[@erwinvergara75]

Love it!

[@MrTommySullivan]

Great style. Just got the Ocean Death LP vinyl. Sounds really awesome on my 1980 Marantz receiver. Pretty chilling.

[@MegaFabioRocks]

100% talent.

[@SuperMARCUS303]

Daaaang this slaps...

[@austins.2495]

4:00-8:00 what a peaceful death sounds like

[@xenonvinc]

This is insane!

[@PlNKUHOSHI]

Around 14:20 I get goosebumps, its amazing!

[@laurajames253]

love it

[@ozelljohnson8932]

To a point you have a point yet there is no denying the absolute passion here... nothing fake or shoddy about it[it's hipster approved,for sure] I like you seem to have an open enough mind to even make a fair and informed comment. I could suggest someone if you like, this band Kayo Dot[Heavy and emotionally cleansing]

[@jollygirl94]

Reminds me of Satoshi Kon song maker,I dont understand anything but its emotional :,D

[@govnor1495]

Love

[@dolemite420]

Baths is the most talented dude making electronic music today. Period. Do not miss seeing him live, it will blow your brain to bits, bitch.