The soft and calm base, almost sleepy, that accompanies the background throughout the song is hidden behind the verses so that we can appreciate the meaning of the lyrics. Unlike the musical track, the messages that Kase.O tries to convey through his genius with the pen are not low profile or secondary, but especially transcendental. On this occasion, and as always happens in rap, the music does not want to distract the listener from what is truly important.
Continuing with formal aspects, it could be said with a half smile that the track’s structure is perfect (perfection is the central theme of the song itself), since both the selection of the accompaniment and the sequencing of the verses respond to a logic al at the same time coherent with the narrative and of great beauty in terms of the use of words, verses and sounds. When the lyrics tell us about a reality that is accelerating, the base picks up speed. When the letter tells us about sounds from the outside, the voice is distorted. The sound of the electric bass stops when the story that Kase.O tells us requires it. Undoubtedly ‘Repartiendo Arte’ is a good example of musical composition and harmonization between the content of the lyrics and the musical accompaniment. The spatial and celestial sounds, which drink from Alan Parsons,
Beyond these technical appreciations, what is truly interesting and exciting about ‘Distributing Art’ is found in the background. The content of the letter is of a more than remarkable depth. Philosophy, mathematics and physics are intermingled to give shape to one of the best compositions of recent years. There is no doubt about it after analyzing and dissecting this quantum poetry. And anyone who doubts that this is indeed a masterpiece of contemporary music, just keep reading to discover how fascinating these 04:41 minutes are. Before giving way to the comment, it is necessary to keep the letter in mind:
Distributing art, because that is my quality. I take you from the everyday to another reality, to the state of the uncertain way, the territory in which I live when everyone is sleeping.
You can see me handing out art, because that’s my quality. I take you from the everyday to another reality, to the state of the uncertain way, the territory in which I live when everyone is sleeping.
Passport with my name heading to infinity. There is a lot of myth, but no one has gone back and described it. That is my challenge. I am already coming out of my skeleton, leaving the realm of the concrete obsolete. I don’t limit myself.
I bring the touch of the abstract, nothing exact. An extract of the perfect, nothing straight. A brilliant moment, very brilliant, of the music of a giant architect.
This photo shines in which I float, explode, leave this broken universe and collide with another. In fact, I form another that I found with another, that together with others that I add up, it turned out to be many of us.
The point of total expansion, the origin from which all roads start and to which they head. Where all possible events happen. Where they say that women cook their kisses.
In case I get lost, I have laid a thread that holds me to Earth to travel in peace. From the last balcony of time I will look out. If you want to tour it, say so, I’ll be there.
Distributing art, because that is my quality. I take you from the everyday to another reality, to the state of the uncertain way, the territory in which I live when everyone is sleeping.
You can see me handing out art, because that’s my quality. I take you from the everyday to another reality, to the state of the uncertain way, the territory in which I live when everyone is sleeping.
I return to the region from which everything emanates. Only one being is the legion of which I am a part. I want to talk to you about that thin membrane, that window, pierced by the human race only in art.
Gate of all mathematical data, paradise of foolish professors. Form that forms the forms of the physical. Norm that annuls the norms of the rigid.
Residence of the essence. (Of the essence). Evidence of simultaneous existence, is an accumulation of strange coincidences, of infinite spontaneous incidences.
Perception of the perfection of the perception of perfection. I am looking for what is poetic in the supra-aesthetic, what is in the macro-chromatic, what is in the non-animal.
I’m in there, I see myself from the outside, right in the center of a big sphere that’s right in the center of a big sphere that’s right in the center… Wait, because they’re taking me!
Numbers that accelerate to eternity, but in negative. This tide takes me backwards! I jump to the chorus and there the future will change. If you want to tour it, say so, I’ll be there.
Distributing art, because that is my quality. I take you from the everyday to another reality, to the state of the uncertain way, the territory in which I live when everyone is sleeping.
You can see me handing out art, because that’s my quality. I take you from the everyday to another reality, to the state of the uncertain way, the territory in which I live when everyone is sleeping.
It is equally interesting to see the fantastic video clip that was published along with the song, released as a single in September 2015. A small preview of Kase.O’s latest work, the album that finally came out in September 2016 and is entitled El Circulo . With this video the meaning (or meanings) of ‘Distributing Art’ is much better understood.
The sequence begins with a piece of rock that would represent the reality in which we live. We could understand this mountainous and empty rock as the Earth. The main characteristic of this place, for the context in which we are going to talk, is that it is an imperfect space. Some female voices sing strange melodies, and when Javier Ibarra’s voice enters the scene changes completely: the imperfect rock changes to geometric figures on which a Greek-style bust stands out. We don’t know who it is exactly, but it can serve as an image to evoke ancient thinkers or philosophers, who also sought perfection in the world. In these initial moments the repeated chorus sounds that includes the title of the song: «Distributing art, because that is my quality. I take you from everyday life to another reality…”.
Although the whole song seems mysterious and complex, in reality Kase.O tells us very clearly what the goal is: «… towards infinity. There is a lot of myth, but no one has gone back and described it. That is my challenge.” He says that he does not set limits, that he embarks on a journey that begins “leaving the realm of the concrete.” That is to say, the song that follows this introduction is the story of a journey towards the abstract, towards a place that no one has been able to describe, to a state of uncertain form. Perhaps the world of ideas that Plato spoke of? It is a journey that takes place “when everyone is sleeping”, that is, in our dreams. Can perfection only be achieved in dreams? It is one of the first reflections that ‘Distributing Art.
The journey begins, and when we arrive at that place we bring with us the imperfection of the real world, which is not exact at all. We are extracts of the perfect, not perfection personified. Human beings are a small part of the work of a giant architect. This image of a creator of the universe is widely used in classical philosophy to explain the origin of all things and the reality in which we live. From this perspective, perfection would be represented by that creative being, and our world would be nothing more than an attempt to imitate that perfection. A failed attempt, of course.
At minute 00:57 the verse “…an extract of the perfect…” sounds. What appears at that precise moment in the video clip? The representation of perfection in mathematics: a circle. The letter looks timidly at non-Euclidean geometry when saying that about “…nothing straight” after having presented the circle as a symbol of perfection. Rejection of straight lines and veneration of circles. The song and especially the video clip are an exaltation of the harmony of the spheres.
After presenting this new perfect world with nods to Antiquity and different geometric figures, Kase.O dares to include another variable, and jumps from mathematics to quantum physics. Talking about realities that merge with each other, in universes from which other universes arise, about events that happen simultaneously… It is a hymn to Interstellar (2014), Coherence (2013) and Donnie Darko (2001).
To travel through this universe where realities explode and merge with each other, generating new and parallel realities, it is advisable to have an Ariadne to tie us with a thread. In the myth of the Labyrinth of Crete, the hero Theseus tied a thread to enter in search of the minotaur. The enamored Ariadne waited outside the labyrinth holding the important thread. That rope is the one that keeps us tied to reality. Javier Ibarra knows this and allegedly winks at Classical Greece.
On our journey we are reaching the point of total expansion, the origin from which all paths start and to which they are directed. The center of that multiverse? It is a dangerous place. We look out from “the last balcony of time” to see what we have left behind us. What do we look at when we look back if we find ourselves on the balcony of time? Last. All the realities that could have been and were not, but that are taking place in the multiverse. Remember that here “all possible events happen.”
Later on he returns to the precepts of quantum physics clearly saying that the “evidence of simultaneous existences” is true. Effectively and briefly, quantum physics has shown that two different realities can take place at the same time. It happens on a quantum scale, and it’s exciting to think that it could happen on a macroscopic scale. Then it would be possible to live experiences like those narrated in the song: “I’m in there, I see myself from the outside” (this phrase can be exploited by watching the movie Coherence ) or “the future will change” (a phrase that is deepened by watching Interstellar).
We are still in this place, the center of the multiverse, to which we have arrived well tied with Ariadne’s thread. This place that is “residence of the essence”, that is, the heart of all possible realities. It is an indescribable region for the human being, a hidden space behind a membrane, behind a window that can only be penetrated through art. And here is the key to the song and the main message. This is what Kase.O really wants to talk to us about.
The key to this complicated poetry is that perfection only exists in art, in painting, in music, in architecture… No animal being (not even human beings) can aspire to achieve perfection on their own. An animal (including human beings) will never be perfect. Of course, the discussion could be deepened by putting on the table the debate about what perfection is and how it is measured, but in reality, in the mathematical world in which we live, based on numbers, we cannot deny that a good way to measure perfection is through mathematics. The circle is a perfect shape, as is the golden ratio or many other things. Thus, we can determine that The Last Supperit is a perfect picture, that the composition of a score is close to perfect or that the dimensions of such a monument are perfect. The norms of the rigid, the forms of the physical, are variables that are measured through mathematics, which are perfect. In ‘Distributing Art’ the mathematical data and the foolish professors are placed in this region of the universe where the perfect lives. You can see a tribute to those who seek the truth of things and pursue perfection in the mention of those “insane professors.” Foolish for challenging the established and for not surrendering to the obvious.
Before finishing the song, the protagonist reflects on perfection by adding a new variable: perception. To what extent can we determine what is perfect when we do it from a subjective and personal point of view? Is it possible to overcome subjectivity and reach perfection in the perception of perfection? Our space traveler does not have time to reach any conclusion, because, like Aureliano in One Hundred Years of Solitude , he is seeing himself from the outside and an external force is taking him away.
I’m in there, I see myself from the outside, right in the center of a big sphere that’s right in the center of a big sphere that’s right in the center… Wait, because they’re taking me!
Suddenly at minute 03:27, when it seems that the story has ended, electronic and distorted sounds warn us of a problem: the thread has broken and it is impossible to return. Our traveler remains floating in space, like the protagonist of ‘Perfect Sense’ (Roger Waters, 1992). A celestial feminine choir is the only answer that the words of resignation hear. “I’m staying here forever.” The journey has been interior and deep, and has led us to discover the origin of all things. It has raised many questions for us, and also yielded some answers. But the destiny of the protagonist of ‘Distributing Art’ is to stay in that region from which everything emanates. Now, is it a sad or lucky ending? Is it better to live in the world of ideas or in the real world? The eternal reflection. Kase.O is clear: «I don’t know, but I stay here forever. They are his last words before the song fades out loud and resounding, as if we were never going to know perfection again.
Influences for a perfect song
The title of this subsection intends to introduce an element of debate and provocation: is ‘Distributing Art’, which has reflection on perfection as its central theme, a perfect song? Are we facing a masterpiece that borders on perfection? Undoubtedly in the soul of any MC is the desire to create the best rhymes, the best verses and the best songs, and it is also true that the world of rap has an important pillar in pride when it comes to producing works. However, leaving aside the obligatory cockiness that runs along the lines of ‘Distributing Art’ (Kase.O presents himself as a liberator of the masses and a unique connoisseur of the absolute truth), it is pertinent to consider whether we are facing a perfect composition . Has Javier Ibarra reached the top in terms of quality with this song?
To answer this important question, it would be necessary to analyze ‘Distributing Art’ in several dimensions. Going back to a technical comment, the quality of the text is remarkable. Not only because of the variety and wealth of terms and concepts used, but also because of the use of very effective literary figures, such as repetition, and which reinforce the message that is to be conveyed. In this sense, it is not surprising that many rappers can also consider themselves poets. As Kase.O usually does, this time it has also approached the biggest.
As for the wealth of cultural references (very important when it comes to providing quality to a work), the song is full of winks. Not only in the lyrics, but in the production itself. The video clip has been influenced by the Pink Floyd style, and also during the song we hear sounds reminiscent of the English band. For example, the final section of ‘Repartiendo Arte’, with an exchange of songs between the lead vocals and the female backing vocals (“I’m staying here forever,” he says. “How long does forever last?” the voices ask) has a structure similar to ‘Talk to me’, from the album The Division Bell (Pink Floyd, 1994). Also the general style of Kase.O’s song is reminiscent of the spatial sounds of Pink Floyd.
In addition to the influences of different musical styles, Kase.O once again shows off his knowledge of classical philosophy. In the song ‘Javat y Kamel’ he already recognizes: «I drank from Cicero’s and Virgil’s bottle, today I am a poet with emotion at home», and in ‘Distributing Art’ the philosophical influences are very clear. The winks to Plato’s work are evident, especially to the Theory of Ideas. Regarding scientific influences, we see the weight of mathematics as a discipline associated with perfection, and the curiosity for quantum physics issues, already discussed above.
For all this we could say that Kase.O has come very close to perfection of which his song speaks so much. ‘Distributing Art’ has all the ingredients to be considered a masterpiece. The musical base can be liked more or less, but it is of good quality and is in perfect harmony with the lyrics. The production of the song, from the technical-musical aspects to the editing of the final video clip, is also excellent. He has a great cultural background and many influences. And finally the background of this composition is extremely deep, complex and philosophical, something that few artists and musicians achieve. Based on the fact that works with meaning are of higher quality, we can determine that ‘Repartiendo Arte’ is an almost perfect song. It should not be forgotten that this track is part of an album entitled El Circulo, and we already know that there is nothing more perfect than the circle.