Earlier today, Netflix released a featurette on the making of "Honor Killing," the song Janelle Monáe and her Wondaland collaborators made for BASS X MACHINA, LeSean Thomas' animated steampunk western, which has been streaming since November 3. Check out the official post down below:
The video features Monáe, who voices Glory and sings the track, along with star and executive producer Brian Tyree Henry and composers Nate "Rocket" Wonder and Roman GianArthur Irvin. Netflix has also posted a full "Honor Killing" music video on the show's page.
How Monáe Ended Up On The Soundtrack
Henry, who voices Bass Reeves, says Monáe was the first and only choice for her role. "When I read this script, her voice was the only voice I heard for Glory, played brilliantly by Janelle Monáe," he says in the featurette. Once she agreed, he pushed for more: "Hey, you should do the music too."
That brought in Nate and Roman, both part of Wondaland, to score the series. Monáe has her own connection to the story. "I'm from the Midwest, so I had heard stories about Bass Reeves," she says. Later in the featurette, Reeves is described as "the first black US marshal" in the country, "a real man" whose story the series turns into steampunk.
From Spaghetti Westerns To Jimi Hendrix
The show's mix of genres shaped the music from the start. Henry describes the world as steampunk and spaghetti western, and Roman says the first idea was a familiar one: "When they say spaghetti western and then anime, initially we were just thinking like, all right, great, let's do some like Ennio Morricone stuff." The team went in a different direction instead: "But then like, we could bring the cowboys of black music, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown."
The sound was built from the instruments up. "I got this guitar made, so it has like a tuning that's a fifth lower," Roman explains, adding that much of the show called for a "lower, throatier sound." Nate calls the result "a punk mentality that was brought to this space," and says the song carries the same attitude.
The vocals were treated the same way. According to the featurette, Monáe's vocal chain ran through a guitar amp to give it "a bite," with the team describing the final sound as "dirty," "sweaty," "bloody" and "angry." Monáe says: "I'm a vocalist, but I love creating characters that sing." Henry adds: "You're gonna feel it. Like, turn your speakers up."
The Show's Ending Credits
Netflix also shared the show's full ending credits sequence yesterday:
BASS X MACHINA is a 6-episode, TV-MA limited series created by LeSean Thomas and animated by Studio Mir, the studio behind Netflix's Devil May Cry. Netflix describes it this way: "In a steampunk West overrun by outlaws, machines and supernatural forces, a father is forced to become judge, jury and executioner to protect his family."
The first episode, "Until Then...I'm Bass Reeves," has the US Army summon the bounty hunter to Fort Hope for one last job: retrieving a missing scientist and stopping a second Civil War. Later episodes take Bass into the Badlands after Bully Shaw, onto a train to Tuskaheegee and into the City of Tomorrow, where General Rivenbark unveils the ultimate weapon. The finale, "If You Want a Country, You Have to Kill For It," sends the Colossus into Central City with Bass and his God Arm close behind.
Henry is joined in the cast by Tati Gabrielle, Cree Summer, Currie Graham, Chaske Spencer and Starletta DuPois. The music from another Netflix animated original was covered in KPop Demon Hunters Drops The Full Uncut "Golden" Song's Choreography By Nain.
Have you watched BASS X MACHINA yet, and does "Honor Killing" belong on your playlist?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.