Sanitize by producer 16 BITZ and its accompanying video is a hard-hitting take on COVID-19 and its impact on a cultural and political level.
It’s no surprise that we’re seeing an emerging artistic response to the effects of the pandemic. While the pandemic is definitely not behind us, 16BITZ, an emerging vocalist and producer, has recorded his thoughts in his new single, Sanitize.
With its hip hop and dub grooves, there’s no doubt that Sanitize is designed to get your head nodding. But this track also represents 16BITZ’s thoughts on the pandemic and its effect on wider society.
Kicking off with Hammond-like organ chords and dubby basslines, the mood is set. Unexpectedly though, the vocal that greets you is detuned and seemingly designed by 16BITZ to be stripped of its humanity.
A more conventional vocal treatment arrives with the verses, lending Sanitize a new dimension as he laments the splintering of society caused by the pandemic and its resulting isolation. The picture he paints is a community that has fractured and ushered in a new era of distrust.
Similarly, the video reflects this sentiment. A literal sanitisation crew swarming an abandoned station, interchanged with news excerpts of lockdown protests and the January 6 insurrection in the U.S. Capitol.
Check out the video below and head over to Spotify to stream Sanitize.
